FIRE DEPARTMENT DATE: November 7, 2011 REPORT NO. PHSSS2011-39 TO: FROM: Committee of the Whole- Operations and Administration Jeff McCormick, Fire Chief 1.0 TYPE OF REPORT CONSENT ITEM [ ] ITEM FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION [ X ] 2.0 TOPIC Fire Department Carbon Monoxide Detector Program 3.0 RECOMMENDATION THAT Report PHSSS2011-39 entitled Fire Department Carbon Monoxide Program, BE RECEIVED. 4.0 PURPOSE To inform Council of the status of the Fire Department s Carbon Monoxide Detection program. CENTRAL SERVICES 60 Clarence Street, P.O. Box 61, Brantford, ON N3T 5M3 Phone: (519) 752-4346 Fax: (519) 752-7083 www.brantfordfire.ca
Date November 7, 2011 Page 2 5.0 BACKGROUND On May 10, 2010 the Carbon Monoxide Detector By-law (By-law 59-2010) was passed by Council. The By-law requires the installation of carbon monoxide detectors (CO detectors) under the following conditions. A. Each dwelling unit containing a fuel-burning appliance; B. For a building containing multiple dwelling units, each dwelling unit located on the same floor level as a fuel-burning appliance; C. For a building containing multiple dwelling units each dwelling unit located on the first and second floor levels of the building above a floor level containing a fuel-burning appliance; or D. In each dwelling unit which contains an attached garage or where there are multiple dwelling units on the same level as an attached garage. The By-law also states; All members of the Fire Department are inspectors under the By-law. Since the inception of the By-law our Department s primary focus has been one of education. It has been our goal to educate members of our community of this By-law and its requirements. While the By-law does allow for the charging of persons, corporations and or directors and officers of corporations who contravene the By-law, to date our Department has not done so. Upon conviction, fines range from $100 to $ 50,000 for a first offence and from $200 to $75,000 for a second offence. 6.0 CORPORATE POLICY CONTEXT 7.0 INPUT FROM OTHER SOURCES 8.0 ANALYSIS In May of 2010 our Department began our Carbon Monoxide Detector By-law education initiative. We do this in conjunction with our Smoke Alarms Saves
Date November 7, 2011 Page 3 Lives Program, advertising in local newspapers, radio, bus shelters and signboards, as well as at emergency calls and public education events. The majority of the education initiative has been in combination with our Smoke Alarm Saves Lives Program (S.A.S.L.). This program involves our fire crews going door-to-door in residential neighbourhoods on weeknights and Saturday afternoons from Victoria Day through Labour Day. The program was originally designed to educate our citizens on working smoke alarms and our previous Municipal Smoke Alarm By-law and to ensure working smoke alarms in all residential occupancies. The program has been redesigned to incorporate education on carbon monoxide detectors and the Carbon Monoxide Detector Bylaw and to ensure working carbon monoxide detectors in required residential occupancies. In an effort to ensure working carbon monoxide detectors in required residential occupancies; if, during a S.A.S.L. visit or at the time of an emergency response, our fire crews discover that the occupancy is not equipped with a CO detector, they will install one for the occupants at no cost. The cost of these CO detectors has been funded through donations by the Friends of the Firefighters and the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation. The Friends of the Fire Fighters was a local fundraising initiative spearheaded by MPP Dave Levac. The Hawkins-Gignac Foundation is a national foundation raising awareness of the need for carbon monoxide detectors, with former Brantford Fire Department Captain John Gignac playing a prominent role. In 2011 our fire crews conducted 2,609 home visits through our SASL campaign and 2,764 home visits were conducted in 2010. At each of these visits fire crews provided education around the Carbon Monoxide By-law and the use of CO detectors either verbally, in writing, or both. Since July of 2010, our Fire Department staff has distributed 996 carbon monoxide detectors to the citizens of Brantford whose residential occupancies were not previously protected by CO detectors. Since the beginning of 2010 our fire crews have also distributed 913 smoke alarms to our community residents whose occupancies did not meet Ontario Fire Code requirements for smoke alarms. The Friends of the Firefighters donated $21,271.50 to the Brantford Fire Department for the purpose of purchasing CO detectors. In turn those Detectors are/were to be distributed to those in the community without them. We have purchased 1,125 carbon monoxide detectors at a cost of $20,863.75. In addition the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation donated 54 carbon monoxide detectors in 2011. As of October 12, 2011 we have a total of 183 CO detectors left in stock and approximately $400.00 left to purchase additional carbon monoxide detectors. Additionally, in the past two years we have spent $7,388 on smoke alarms out of our operating budget.
Date November 7, 2011 Page 4 Over the course of the next few months our Department intends to conduct a thorough review of the Carbon Monoxide Detector Program and the SASL program. The review will include analysis of the following issues: 1. Funding options (our operating budget cannot assume costs of CO Detectors at a rate of more than $10,000 a year in addition to more than $3,500 a year in smoke alarm purchases). 2. Enforcement strategies 3. Effects of enforcement on our SASL program. 9.0 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 10.0 CONCLUSION The purpose of this report was to inform Council of the Fire Departments Carbon Monoxide Detector Program and how this initiative is being monitored and implemented in the community. The report draws attention to the fact that our program has been educational in nature. Further it outlines the CO costs associated with providing this program and identifies the manner in which the program has been funded. The report indicates that a thorough internal review of the program is intended and that review will identify the sustainability of the program in its current form. Further, the conclusions of that report may need to be brought back to Council as there is the possibility of the program moving more towards enforcement. Prior to doing so we would want to ensure the full support of Council. Jeff McCormick, Fire Chief Dan Temprile, General Manager Public Health, Safety & Social Services
Date November 7, 2011 Page 5 Attachments: NA Copy to: NA In adopting this report, is a by-law or agreement required? If so, it should be referenced in the recommendation section. By-law required [ ] yes [ x ] no Agreement(s) or other documents to be signed by Mayor and/or City Clerk [ ] yes [ x ] no Is the necessary by-law or agreement being sent concurrently to Council? [ ] yes [ x ] no