Chimney Fire Season is Here. Have you had yours cleaned lately?

With the recent cold weather, it appears chimney fire season is once again upon us. Sooke Firefighters have already attended 4 such calls in the past month. While no serious damage has resulted from any of these recent incidents, it is a reminder to all of us to have our chimneys inspected and cleaned on a regular basis.

MVI Snarls Morning Traffic

A single vehicle Motor Vehicle Crash in the 7600 Block of West Coast Road on the morning of December 12th resulted in the closure of the highway for about 40 minutes while rescue crews freed the driver and sole occupant. The driver had lost control of the vehicle and went off road into a telephone pole causing extensive damage to her side of the car. The drivers seat had been forced over into the centre of the car. Crews from both Sooke Fire Stations using 2 sets of Jaws of Life removed the passenger door and roof of the vehicle. A dash roll was also used to free the driver. Once the car had been disassemble, the victim was removed and placed on a stretcher for transport by ambulance to VGH. While she did not appear to badly hurt, her condition was later upgraded when internal bleeding and broken ribs were discovered. At last report the patient was in the intensive care unit.

Merry Christmas

It has been a while since I have had a chance to put anything on here so I will try to add several posts to catch up on what has been going on with the fire department. First off and the top story has to be the incredible support that we have received in collecting donations for the Sooke Christmas Bureau. Volunteers from the fire department, District of Sooke employees, RCMP, EHS, ESS (spouses and kids too) and Mayor and some council members all spent 2 or more hours on their feet in front of the grocery stores, drug store or at the fire hall doing the drive through program. Firefighters and helpers then spent several hours decorating the fire trucks for the Annual Santa Run taking Santa all over the community collecting food donations. I am very pleased to announce that through all this effort a total of $11,000.00 in cash and at least another $10,000.00+ in food and toys was collected. (could be worth considerably more, but is hard to estimate) The trailers holding the food are loaded to the limit and there is still more on the floor that would not fit. How awesome is that?

1942 Fire Truck - Progress Report

The work on the '42 International Fire Truck is progressing nicely as a large group of volunteers are in the station every Friday from 6:00 pm on dismantling the truck piece by piece. Chrome parts are being shined and other parts are being stripped in preperation of a new paint job. All of the fenders, front end and hood have been removed. The running boards are now coming off and will be replaced with new solid wood boards that will be varnished to a high shine. Help is still needed on this project and we are also looking for anyone that may have photos or stories of this truck when it was in service in Sooke from 1954 to 1970.

Now for the big news. The second fire truck of this vintage that saw service in Sooke during the same time period is now also available to members of the Sooke Firefighters Association. The truck, a 1954 Austin has been in a museum in the Queen Charlotte Islands for many years now. It appears that the historical society in this area would like to move the truck out as they have new displays to put in and have offered to give the truck back to Sooke. What are the odds of having two trucks that left Sooke 41 years ago, being offered to be returned within 2 months of each other. Weird or What? Anyway, it appears that several members are interested in having a look and bringing this truck home to Sooke as well.

Photos show the 1942 International as it undergoes restoration in Sooke and the old Austin in service in Sooke back in the late 1960's

Busy Weekend of Christmas Activities

This weekend was very busy with Christmas events. To begin with, Saturday and Sunday saw firefighters, RCMP members, District of Sooke staff, members of the Emergency Program and EHS members all out collecting food items and cash for the Sooke Christmas Bureau. Working in front of Western Foods, Village Foods and Shoppers Drug Mart from 10 to 4 each day, these community minded volunteers collected a pick up truck load of food and approximately $3700.00 in cash and checks. What an amazing display of generosity by this community. Volunteers will be out again in force next weekend at these same locations. Then on Dec 16, 17 and 18 we will try the first ever Fire Hall Drive Thru campaign were local citizens can simply drive into the fire hall and make a donation without ever leaving their cars. Don't forget the Santa Run on December 17th. Santa will begin touring the communities of Sooke, Otter Point and East Sooke in fire trucks beginning at 5:00 pm. Watch for the December 14th edition of the Sooke News Mirror for specially marked grocery bags showing all the route information.

Firefighters also spent the afternoon decorating Engine 1 for the Sooke Christmas Parade. This may have been the biggest and best parade ever as it was a beautiful sunny day and the streets were lined with spectators. This was followed an hour later by the lighting of the Christmas trees in front of evergreen mall.

Thanks very much to all the volunteers that helped this weekend. What a great effort and hopefully we will see as much, if not more of this next weekend.

Another Crash Involves a Logging Truck

Fearing the worst, emergency responders attended a motor vehicle crash in the 5500 block of Sooke Road on November 28th. The initial call came in as a logging truck versus car with the driver of the car trapped and requiring extrication. with a short handed crews, those firefighters that were available responded from both Sooke stations to the scene. Fortunately, the car and truck were not pinned together, rather it appears the driver of the car had crossed the centre lane and hit the logging truck in both sets of rear wheels causing severe damage to one rim on the first axle and damage to the tire on the second axle. A large chunk of rubber was also torn out of the tire located on the trailer portion of the logging unit. All three tires and likely two rims would have to be replaced. The car suffered extensive front end damage and while the driver suffered only minor injuries, the Jaws of Life had to be used to get the door open. The driver was tranported to hospital and the RCMP continue to investigate the cause.

Reigonal Haz Mat Training Exercise Held in Sooke

Sooke Fire Rescue Service hosted the first of a series of Greater Victoria area live training exercises for the CRD Hazardous Materials Team. In this scenerio a 100lb container of ammonia had fallen over and began leaking in the ice making room at the Seaparc Leisure Centre. Using a variety of props, a large gas cloud could be seen forming above the arena building. Sooke Firefighters arrived on scene with their small hazardous materials trailer but quickly realized that they had insufficient staff or equipment to deal with this emergency. As ammonia is a deadly gas, the arena and pool were quickly evacuated, Phillips Road closed to all traffic and nearby homeowners were told to leave or stay indoors with all their windows and doors closed. (all simulated). Sooke Firefighters set up decontamination equipment and called for help from the CRD Haz Mat team whose equipment is based in Central Saanich. (The CRD Haz Mat Team is comprised of members from Greater Victoria Fire Departments who have received extensive training and are certified Hazardous Materials Technicians - there are approximately 85 technicians within the CRD of which 6 are members of Sooke Fire Rescue) In this exercise, technicians from Sooke, Metchosin, Colwood, Saanich, Oak Bay and Central Saanich attended. With the arrival of the Hazardous Materials Truck, crews were put into Class A chemical suits and sent in to deal with the event. At the conclusion of this scenerio, crews broke for a lunch break and then went on to deal with a second scenerio that afternoon. This was a great training event for all the members, giving responders a chance to work with different groups and be better prepared for the real events when they occur.

Late Night Fire Concerns Firefighters

A late night fire in a 35 foot fifth wheel caused concerns and a few anxious momements for the 13 firefighters that responded at 3:00 am on Nov 17. The trailer was fully involved on arrival with an adjacent green house on neighbouring property also burning due to the extreme radiant heat. With the high winds embers were being blown throughout the area. Sooke Fire Rescue's newest Engine was the first apparatus on scene and quickly proved its worth as an effective firefighting tool. The second in Engine arrived from Station 2 and established a water supply from a nearby hydrant providing Engine 1 with more water. Engine 1-2 arrived next and was initially used to patrol the neighbourhood, checking for other fires that may have been caused by the flying embers.
Investigators returned that morning but were unable to determine a point of origin due to the extensive damage. However circumstances have concluded that the fire is suspicious in origin and the file has been turned over to the RCMP for follow up.

Roll Over MVI Challenges Firefighters

A single vehicle MVI on Sooke Road Monday evening took the ingenuity of firefighters to free the trapped driver. The victims car had hit a tree, rolled over onto its roof with the driver ejected partially through the windshield. The vehicle was quickly stabilized using the crew from Engine 2, while Engine 1 and Rescue 1 crews operated rescue tools and set up lighting. With the ALS ambulance crew seriously concerned over the victims deteriorating condition, firefighters used the Jaws of Life to cut all of the roof posts on one side of the car. Once cut, the winch was used to pull the car up and off the victim while at the same time the windshield was removed from around her torso. From arrival to final extrication, the entire task was completed in just under 30 minutes. Ambulance crews rushed her to VGH where she was placed into an induced coma, but at last report was said to be in good condition. While this was all going on, Squad 1 and Brush 2 set up traffic control to divert vehicles along Parklands Road. This was instrumental in keeping the scene safe while allowing traffic to flow. Sooke Road was closed for about 4 hours while the RCMP traffic analyst completed his investigation. BC Transit also called to commend the firefighters on their great efforts in allowing the busses to safely move on the winding, narrow detour road. This was a great effort by all emergency responders and all of you should be very proud of a job well done with a very successful outcome.

Metchosin Structure Fire Requires Mutual Aid

Metchosin Firefighters were summoned to a reported chimney fire in the 900 block of Kangaroo Road during the evening of Nov 3. Arriving on scene, Metchosin found they had a structure fire that was quickly escalating. With no hydrants in the area, a long steep driveway and limited access a call was placed for mutual aid. This included an 2 engines from Langford, a tender from Sooke and another tender from East Sooke. While Metchosin and some Langford crews worked the fire, the remaining crew from Langford and Sooke firefighters set up a relay pumping system and established a tender shuttle operation. Hose was pulled from the top of the hill, connected to a Metchosin Engine, down to the first Langford engine located part way along the driveway. This was then connected to the second Langford unit which was set up near Kangaroo Road, adjacent to the porta-tank. Tenders from Sooke and East Sooke then shuttled water from the nearest hydrant. The house, 4 storeys in height was now fully involved with flames at least 100 feet in the air. Despite the best efforts of many firefighters and the time it took to get a water supply established, the house was lost. Fortunately the gentlemen living in the home escaped with his dog. Crews were on scene for over 4 hours. Cause of the fire is unknown at this time.

Chimney Fire Challenges Responders

A chimney fire at the 17 Mile House challenged firefighters on several front. Due to the location of the chimney on the building, the safest access was over the aerial ladder, however the only place this could be set up was on Sooke Road. This required a call to the RCMP to establish traffic control. On arrival, the occupants reported that the building was filling with smoke, that the walls were starting to get hot and that they had already tried using a dry chemical extinguisher to no avail. With this report and only a small number of Sooke Firefighters available, a call was placed to Metchosin FD to supply and engine for mutual aid. The fire was difficult to extinguish due to blockages in the chimney from creosote. These had to be broken apart to enable the fire to be fully extinguished. On checking the attic for possible fire extension, crews were very surprised to see some fairly extensive burning on the rafters and timbers in this area. While not a result of this fire, at some point in time a fairly good attic fire had occured in this building. After about 90 minutes, crews had successfully stopped the fire, confirmed it had not spread and were able to clear the scene.

Fact or Fiction

Not sure if it is the election in the air or what, but there seems to be a lot of misinformation about the fire department operations out there right now. I will try to clear some of that up with answers to the five most common rumours.

1) The first rumour is that the "fire department is overstaffed". As of the moment the fire department has five full time employees. Four firefighters and the fire chief. Of this, two are on duty from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm daily. They work a four day on, four day off rotation. During Monday to Friday, the Fire Chief is also in the office. This means that there are two firefighters available during the day + the fire chief on weekdays. The remainder of the fire department is VOLUNTEER. Almost the entire volunteer compliment of firefighters work in GREATER VICTORIA. There are only a small group that actually live and work in Sooke. This means that during the day, it is not unusual to have NO volunteers show up to assist the two career staff on duty although some days there may be as many as six. Therefore it is somewhat difficult to say that a staff of two would be considered overstaffed.
By the way, there are NO firefighters in the station from 6:00 pm to 7:00 am daily. If a call comes in, volunteers are alerted by pager and must respond from home to the station and then get their gear on, get on a fire truck and then respond.

2) Rumour #2. "Volunteer firefighters get paid too much." Volunteer firefighters in Sooke get paid $0.00 per call. Off duty career staff that respond on hours when they are not working get paid $0.00 per call. (they do not get overtime or days off in lieu either) I don't know how you can get more cost efficient than 0. Should we now make the volunteers pay to go to calls? Might make recruiting a little difficult. Volunteers don't even get reimbursed for their gas money. This is a true committment to help their community.

3) Rumour #3. "We don't even need a fire department". If the fire department ceased to exist, the average homeowner insurance policy would triple. Commercial rates would likely be even higher.

4) Rumour #4 "Sooke has too many fire trucks" With the current compliment of fire trucks, Sooke Fire Rescue Service meets the requirements of the 1986 Fire Underwriters Survey requirements for fire apparatus. This means we have sufficient apparatus to meet the needs of this community when it was evaluated 25 years ago.

5) Rumour #5 "Emergency Services in Sooke cost the taxpayers too much money" On a straight per capita basis (not really a fair way to evaluate this, however) the cost per person for Police and Fire Service in Sooke works out to $0.55 per person/ per day. This is much less than a cup of coffee at a local fast food restaraunt. If you want to divide by actual services, the fire department cost is $0.20 per day per person and policing costs are $0.35 per person per day.

If you have any other questions or concerns about the fire department, please call us. We would be happy to answer your enquiry.

Haz Mat call forces closure of Sooke Road

At the request of the RCMP, firefighters responded to a report of a car pulled over with a heavy chemical smell coming from the vehicle. On arrival, the police explained that they had pulled over a suspected impaired driver. When they got near the vehicle a very strong odour of chemicals was observed. Upon an inspection of the vehicle, several containers were located in the back of the van. Not sure of what was involved crews took no chances and called for the hazardous materials trailer to respond. Firefighters closed Sooke Rd between Drennan and Charters and set up the haz mat and decontamination gear on the roadway. Crews in Level B chemical suits moved in to clean out the van. It was determined that a large quantity of cleaning products were inside and that one large container had leaked, mixing with dry powdered bleach and other products thus producing potentially toxic gases. The containers were moved into secure storage and the van towed away for decontamination. The driver of the van refused medical treatment at the scene. One police officer was taken to hospital for observation after complaining of ill effects from being near the van. He was released later that night. After about two hours on scene, the site was cleared and ready for traffic.

Another Structure Fire

A second structure fire in less than a week kept emergency responders busy in Sooke. The original call came in at 10:30 am on the 11th of October as smoke in the structure. As this was a day time call and faced with the usual shortage of volunteer firefighters for this time of day and immediate request for mutual aid was placed. This turned out to be a very good call. On arrival, Car 1 observed dark smoke coming from the vents on the side of the 2-storey duplex and all the windows were blackened along the Delta side. Engine 1 with a 4 person crew, arrived and forced entry on the side door and began a left hand search as we did not know if anyone was in the building. There was a report of a cat and dog in the home. The smoke was so heavy crews had very little visibility and could not see the seat of the fire. Searching the first room they entered (a bedroom) crews encountered a door without any door handles. It was later determined that the basement of this side of the duplex and had been illegally converted into a suite and the door without a handle entered the other suite. (this could have proved very dangerous if something had gone wrong and the firefighters had to make a quick escape) The Chief of Shirley FD who was in the area, heard the call and also attended. Engine 2 now arrived with a crew of 2 and set up for RIT. (a total of only 7 Sooke Firefighters responded) A few minutes later, an Engine from Otter Point FD arrived with a crew to provide backup. The fire was located and quickly extinguished. It originated on the top of the stove. While the fire damage was limited, heat and smoke damage was extensive throughout the suite. As the fire separation between the upper and lower suite was not adequate, light smoke damage was also found on the second floor. (neither tenant was insured). The dog was located in a kennel and was ok, but the cat was found semi-concious in the kitchen area. The cat was brought out and the ambulance crew adminstered oxygen which did revive the cat. It was later sent to a vet and at last report appeared to be ok. It was very fortunate that the passerby had seen the fire and called in. A few more minutes and the building like would have been fully involved.

Fire Prevention Week

This years fire prevention week was a major success with firefighters (and some ESS personnel) involved in a variety of activities. Beginning with an open house at the Fire Station on Thursday it was estimated that between 250 and 300 persons came to visit. While Sparky the Fire Dog and Puff the Fire Clown keep the kids (and adults) entertained with balloon animals and high fives there were many other things to do as well. Trying out the fire hose was very popular as was a jump in the bounce house. The ladder truck was demonstrated and the big Canada Day flag was a great way to draw people in. Dozens of bags of popcorn were handed out and we went through 7 dozen hot dogs. And while this was going on, a crew still managed to take the Otter Point FD down to Mariners to spend a couple of hours going through our expectations of what we would want them to do if a major event were to occur.

Thanks to leg work by Neil, the Pizza Delivery teams did a great job (well most of you) Thanks to support from Andys 2 for 1 Pizza and Sooke Home Hardware firefighters tagged along with the pizza delivery guy for a special incentive. If you agreed to let the firefighters into your home and let them test your smoke alarm (and it worked) you would get a 50% off your next pizza coupon. If it did not work, crews would install a new battery for you. If you had no detector, then a new unit would be supplied and installed. What a great program and great PR.

Then on Saturday, Fire and ESS personnel set up a home safety display at Sooke Home Hardware. Hundreds of people stopped by to ask questions on fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, emergency preparedness and even look at the 72 hour emergency kit.

All in all a great FPW for 2011. Thanks to all those that assisted and made these events so great.

Haz Mat Calls Keep Crews Hopping

It seems that Haz Mat calls are the flavour of the month. Not only was there the response to the house full of gas as mentioned in the last post, but Sooke Firefighters responded as part of the CRD Regional Haz Mat Team to a major chlorine leak on Dallas Road. For reasons still being investigated, it appears that bleach accidentaly mixed with muriatic acid (used as components to make chlorine for the pool located in this building)and caused a chemical reaction. This required the response of the main CRD Haz Mat unit from Central Saanich as well as Technicians from several local fire departments and 2 engine companies from Victoria (Victoria FD is currently not part of the Haz Mat Team) Three members from Sooke took turns as the entry team as well as the back up team on this event that lasted for approximately 10 hours. As they say, many times haz mat calls are "Hurry up and then wait" Fortunately there were no injuries reported.

A few days later, Sooke Firefighters responded to a reported propane leak on Austins Place. Crews arrived to find a house with slightly lowered oxygen levels and an odour of propane throughout the house. The tank on the property had been filled earlier in the day and it appeared that it may have been overfilled. This would result in the pressure relief valve opening as the sun warmed up the tank. As there was a vent for the air handling system located right above the propane tank, it would have sucked in the fumes causing the odour in the house. Crews used PPV and cleared the house quickly, allowing the owners safely back into their home.

A possible haz mat call was received yesterday, but fortunately only turned into a complicated vehicle exrtication exercise. It appears that a septic pumping truck was working at a home on Meota Drive when for unknown reasons (at this time) the truck began rolling away. As the home was located at the top of a steep driveway, the truck took off in reverse making it almost to the road but ending up nearly on its side in the ditch. A large wrecker was already on scene and the truck had been pumped out before the fire department was requested to attend. A check of the vehicle determined that no leaks from the fuel tank or septic tank were found. As a safety precaution, the culvert across the street was boomed to catch any run off. As the wrecker lifted the truck, crews used the air shores to assist in lifting and stabilizing the vehicle. Once it was back on the road, the truck was placed onto a flatdeck for transport back to Victoria. The vehicle could not be towed due to the broken axle it suffered in the crash.

Explosive Situation Controlled

Crews responded to a reported gas leak on Steeplechase last weekend. Fortis Gas was already on scene as they had been contacted by a neighbour who had smelled gas. The Fortis Rep checked the home with his meter and the readings were off the chart. He quickly contacted the fire department. C-1, B-1, E-1, E-2 and L-1 responded to the incident and quickly blocked off access. The new home was just in the final stages of construction and had been locked up for the weekend. Homes in the immediate vicinity were evacuated as crews set up a protection line and readied a fan for ventilation. With the house locked up tight, it appeared forcible entry would be required, however at the last moment a slightly opened window was observed on the second floor. Laddering the building, firefighters entered the structure and opened all windows and doors. The fan was started and the gas allowed to dissapate. It appears that some work may have been done on the gas line as a bent piece of gas pipe was found on the floor. It is likely a small hole in the pipe, now hidden behind drywall is the likely cause. The gas was shut off and home secured. Thanks to quick work, what could have been a major explosion was averted.

Structure Fire Challenges Responders

Sooke Firefighters were paged out in the early hours on Friday, Oct 7 at about 2:30 a.m. for a reported structure fire. While enroute Langford Dispatch advised that the house was fully involved and there was a possibility of someone on side. Sooke RCMP arrived first and quickly evacuated the neighbours on either side of the rapidly burning home. C-1 and B-1 arrived next and command was established. E-1 arrived on scene and went into master stream operations to try to knock down the main body of fire and protect the "D" exposure. L-1 followed soon behind and picked up a hydrant to supply E-1 with a water source. 2 hand lines were pulled as well as the mini-monitor. The fire was quickly consuming the house with sections of the roof already collapsing from the intensity of it all. E-2 arrived next on scene taking a second hydrant that supplied water to L-1 as it had positioned its aerial above the blaze and quickly put the ladder pipe into operation. E 1-2, Sq-1 and Sq-2 had now also arrived with additional firefighters. With about 2500 gallons a minute now flowing, the blaze slowly came under control. With air packs running low and manpower stretched Otter Point FD was called in for mutual aid. With 22 Sooke Firefighters, 5 Otter Point members, EHS and RCMP to assist the fire was brought under control. Hot spots continued to flare up for a couple more hours. Crews rotated out for breakfast at the fire hall. A search was not possible due to the intense fire, however it was determined from relatives that nobody was in fact home at the time of the call. Crews working the "C" side of the structure observed that the sliding glass door and kitchen window were already open on arrival. The RCMP also reported that the garage door was open on their arrival. With this suspicisious evidence in mind a security detail was arranged. Crews worked through the day with the RCMP Forensic Ident Team to look for cause and origin. It appeared likely that more than one fire may be the cause due to the amount of damage in the bedrooms. After 12 hours at the incident, the scene was turned over to the insurance adjuster who had the site fenced and secured for additional investigators to complete a more intense investigation. Further evidence of additional fire sets in the home were discovered and the fire has been ruled as arson with many agencies continuing to work on this case. Fire Crews did a remarkable job containing the fire to just the one home. One neighbouring house suffered two cracked windows from the heat, however that was the only damage outside of the original property. The house is a complete loss.

Fire Prevention Week

Today marks the start of Fire Prevention Week and Sooke Fire Rescue Service will be involved in a number of activities. On Thursday, Oct 13th from 3:30 to 8:00 pm, the fire department and emergency program will be hosting an open house. There will be displays on fire safety, emergency preparedness, tours of the station and apparatus, bounce houses, activities for kids of all ages and even refreshments. Please join us.

The next event will take place Friday and Saturday evening when firefighters team up with Andy's 2 for 1 Pizza and Sooke Home Hardware to assist residents in ensuring their homes are fire safe. Crews will be following pizza delivery vehicles within the community to those homes placing orders. On arrival at the home, firefighters will ask the residents if they can check their smoke alarms. If they work properly, the homeowner will recieve a coupon for 50% off their next pizza order. If the smoke alarm does not work, the firefighters will install new batteries. If no smoke alarm is present, crews will then install a new one at no charge. You really can't loose on this program.

Finally on Saturday, firefighters and ESS personnel will staff a booth at Home Hardware promoting fire and life safety products to customers. This will take place from 10:00 to approximately 3:00 pm or 4:00 pm. (we could still use a few more volunteers for this event)

News of the Week

Despite the hot dry weather, September has proven to be a quiet month for fire calls.  Perhaps the burning ban on campfires has helped as we certainly had a number of incidents before the ban was in place.  With the weather turning now, it is likely the ban will be lifted soon however if the fire calls increase the ban may be re-instated. 

New uniforms have arrived for anyone that didn't already have one.  As such, the requirement to wear your uniform at FD functions will now be enforced.  This means Thursday training sessions, (or other training times) public education events or basically anything at which you are representing the fire department.
Some basic planning has begun in prepartation for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Sooke Fire Rescue Service (2013).  We are looking for ideas from the membership on what events they would like to see as part of this historical milestone in our history.

The interviews and agility testing for the new recruit class have been completed.  Many thanks to those that came out to help, especially the members that assisted the Deputy Chief with the interview process.  It looks like a very good group this year.  Training will begin next month and will take place on alternate weekends instead of Wednesday nights this year.  This is a pilot program so time will tell if this works out or not.  We are hoping for input from the class at the end of the program on how well it worked.  Any firefighter wanting to assist with instructing at one or more of the sessions is certainly encouraged to do so.  A schedule will be posted by the training officer.

It appears that this years Annual Western Communites Fire and Life Safety Expo for the Grade 4 students will be postponed to spring due to the possibilty of job action by the teachers.  Stay tuned for new dates of this very popular event.  (Between 800 and 1000 students participate each year).  The Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill will still proceed on October 20th.  A variety of public education events are starting to show up.  We hope to have a few activities during Fire Prevention Week that members will participate in.

Emergency Operations Centre training is now a scheduled event for all municipal staff.  This will take place on the fourth Thursday of each month from 11:00 am until 12:00 and then repeated at 1:00 to 2:00 pm to allow staff to rotate shifts and still cover customer needs in the municipal offices.  Any firefighter or ESS member is welcome to attend and participate at these sessions. 

There are lots of new courses and training opportunities coming available.  Check the listings in this blog and the sign up lists in the training room.  We are also hoping to host a Pumps and Pumping course in late fall.  Assistant Chief Barney finally has a date that he can get the First Responder instructor bridging course completed.  When completed in mid October, look for First Responder courses to start appearting for members needing new licenses or renewals for existing ones.  Sooke and Otter Point FDs have offered to jointly hosting an exciting officer training program entitled "Beyond Helmets and Hoses"   This is an accredited program through the Canadian Fire Chiefs Association and will cover a variety of subjects on how to move into officer positions from firefighter.  This weekend course will be offered late this year or early next year depending on availability of the instructors. 

And finally it is nice to see our injured firefighters on the mend.  Looks like we will be able to see them and offer our sympathies (or whatever) at the upcoming banquet on October 1st.  (yes it is almost that time) 

Firefighters rescue one of their own

Sooke Firefighters were dispatched to an early morning motor vehicle incident in the 5300 Blk of Sooke Road involving a car and motorcycle.  Ambulance crews were already on scene treating the injured biker and firefighters were quick to learn that victim was a fellow volunteer firefighter.  It appears he has suffered fractures to both wrists and will face two surgeries, rehab and about 10 weeks of cast time.  It appears that the vehicle in front of him suddenly decided to do a U-turn leaving little room for the motorcycle to maneuver and he hit the car square in the drivers door.  Fortunately the injuries were not more serious.

Today began as a quiet day, but the evening quickly got exciting.  A three car MVI at Sooke and Dover left cars with moderate damage and only minor injuries.  This was followed by a first responder call a little over an hour later.  10 minutes after that an alarm bells call at an apartment block came in followed one minute later by another first responder call.  20 minutes later a smell of smoke call and then another 20 minutes another first responder call.  While this was going on, staff were attempting to interview and outfit new recruit firefighter candidates.  Wow, busy night.  Lots of paper work for the duty officer.

Work on upgrading Station 2 continues to move along.  Exterior painting should start soon.  After 26 years, the building is starting to show its age.  A work party is being held on Sunday the 18th and we could still use a few more members to help.  Breakfast and lunch is included.  What a deal.   Please help if you can, even if for just an hour or two. 

Station 2 as it was when if first opened in 1986.  Only the trucks have changed in 26 years. 

Forest Fire Hazard Climbing Again

With the recent bout of hot weather, the fire hazard is already back to HIGH. With that came a mutual aid call to assist Metchosin with a tree fire at Camp Thunderbird. Might seem like a bit of overkill for a tree fire, but this was no ordinary tree. The cedar was about 6 feet across, hollow in the middle and close to 200 feet tall. The fire had started at the base and was burning well over 100 feet off the ground. A professional faller had to be brought in to bring the tree down at which point crews spent a good couple of hours getting the fire out. To top this off, the morning fire occured at the same time as dozens and dozens of parents arrived in their cars to collect their kids from summer camp. This created a giant traffic jam as the sinle lane road was clogged with cars going up and down the road while negotiating around fire trucks and tanker shuttles.

It has been a rather busy week for calls these past few days. Another MVI occured on Sooke Road at Parklands when a vehilce left the road and into the gulley. The car didn't travel to far as it hit a tree but it was balanced rather precauriously on the crumbling bank. Crews used the winch from Rescue 1 to secure the car to allow the driver to exit safely. He suffered a hand laceration from his hand jamming the steering wheel. Otherwise he seemed OK.

Yesterday Sooke FD attended three calls almost at the same time. Luckily it was a Thursday night practice night so many firefighters were available. The first involved a 16 year old male cyclist hitting a car on Sunriver Way. He suffered a serious head laceration and numerous cuts and scrapes. Full spinal precautions were taken. While this was going on a burning complaint came in soon followed by another first responder call.

It is almost time to take on the new recruit class. Assistant Chief Mcleod was put through the paces last night as he fine tuned the new agility test. Since he came up with the test, it seemed only fair that he try it out. Luckily he survived so it appears the test is ok. Look for some new faces as we have 5 new applicants and 1 returning firefighter this fall. They will be attending for an orientation next Thursday night.

The paperwork has all been signed for the E-One pumper truck that we purchased. We are now working at finding the most reliable and economical way to get the truck shipped to Sooke from Arizona. It should be arriving within the next month.

Don't forget to RSVP Jan at the fire hall if you plan on attending this years Firefighter Appreciation Banquet. (It would be good to call or email if you cannot attend too!)

And finally the new exterior lighting project is finished. These new lights are certainly doing a much better job illuminating the parking lots. This means that the gym has power again too. Along with the lights, the removal of some of the landscaping has improved sight lines and safety concerns around the building. New plants will be installed this fall to fill in the voids.

Extreme Forest Fire Hazard Raises Concerns

Despite the one day of rain today, the recent bout of hot weather and never ending wind has certainly dried out the forest. This can be seen by the number of recent fires having been attended. There have been three on Harbour View Road, the most recent of which occuring at night. Crews did an awesome job getting this under control before the fire hit the forest. The fire was stopped only inches from the tree line. If we had been another few minutes, it certainly could have proved quite disasterous. Other recent fires included an out of control beach fire on Ella Road, another at Billings Park and a couple of set fires in Broom Hill Playground. Another attempted fire was found on the Gatewood Trail. Once the drying trend returns (tomorrow) please be careful out there and remind others to be as well. Reminder that campfires are NOT permitted in parks.

On another note, a tragic incident occured at the Sooke Potholes when crews responded to a medical emergency, only to find a woman had drowned. Firefighters recovered the body and carried her back to the parking lot for identification. RCMP are investigating along with the Coroners office.

It was a busy week for MVIs to. At the same time as the Potholes call, a single vehicle MVI with three occupants was attended on Sooke River Rd. The pickup truck went over the bank and down about 30 feet. The three young men suffered a variety of minor injuries and were very lucky to get out in the condition they did. A two vehicle crash on Sooke Road at Manzer Road created a big traffic delay. One vehicle was severly damaged, but luckily no serious injuries. A three car crash at Sooke and Otter Point Road again had no injuries. One of the vehicles was parked at the time and suffered some serious damage.

Starlight Cinema and Movie in the Park has now ended for the season. While the first three nights had good sized crowds, the Firefighters Association showing of Marley and Me was poorly attended. It was a shame as the funds were supporting a good cause. Maybe we should try again next year we advertising can be done well in advance.

New lighting is being put up in the parking lots of the fire hall and city hall. As a result the power is out in the gym. Hope to have the work done by Friday. Speaking of work on fire halls, Station 2 is undergoing a long overdue face lift. New panels are being installed over the old warped siding. A new coat of paint will also be applied to the exterior along with some minor work to the interior.

And finally about this blog. It is difficult to keep up with this due to other work constraints. As a result I will do a weekly update each Friday so look for more news this coming Friday and then each week after that. If you would like to have something added, please send me an email outlining what you would like to see or post.

Mutual Aid Call for Jordan River Fire

Yes, I know its been a while since my last post, but here are some updates starting with the fire in Jordan River on the morning (very early 3:30 am) of May 14. A request for mutual aid was made by the Shirley Fire Chief for an engine and tender to attend a structure fire in Jordan River with a 1000 gallon propane tank as an immediate exposure. Arriving on scene, Chief Ray of Shirley had a shorthanded crew working one line while the remainder of his members were setting up for a tanker shuttle. Crews faced a fire in a pump house, a generator shed, a large workshop, a 30 foot steel boat inside a wooden structure all fully involved along with the large propane tank immediately adjacent to the fire and a house that was starting to smoke from radiant heat. Due to the propane tank, apparatus was staged back on the roadway making the need for very long hose lays. Crews were successful in cooling the propane tank and saving the house with only minimal heat damage to one side. (enough to break the windows). Another tender was called from Otter Point (call was originally made to OP as well as Sooke but with the radio system not working well in this area, that part of the transmission was lost in the original call for help) Tenders had to drive all the way back to Sherringham Lighthouse to fill up and return. While the fire was brought under control but far from out, a second call for another structure fire came in, this one on Anderson Road at the Shirley / Otter Point Border. The Shirley Engine stayed behind while the Shirley tender and Sooke Engine responded to the second call for help. Another engine was called from Otter Point as well as additional tenders from Metchosin and East Sooke FDs. Luckily the second fire was quickly contained to the attic where it started as a result of a chimney fire. With all the additional tenders now on scene crews were sent back to Jordan River to finally extinguish the first fire. The fire began when the propane powered welder the owner was using due to the power being out set the shed on fire and quickly spread when one of the 100 lb propane tanks attached to it BLEVEd. The second tank also let go and has still not been located. Considering the potential for many things to go wrong on this site, a great job was done by all firefighters and no injuries were reported. The homeowner even located all his cats safe and sound.

Haz Mat Spill in Goldstream Park closes TCH

A major Hazardous Materials event on the Trans Canada Hwy through Goldstream Park shut down the only major route between Victoria and points up Island when a fully loaded B-train fuel tanker truck overturned and crashed into the rock face of the Malahat. The crash caused the majority of the contents of one trailer to spill. This dumped approximately 30,000 liters of gasoline onto the road and surrounding ditches. From here it travelled by culvert, under the highway and emptied into the Goldstream River where it worked its way down to Finlayson Arm. The original call came into Langford around 6:00 pm on Saturday. Sooke Fire Rescue Service offered containment boom from our large cache located on Whiffin Spit. This was quickly accepted and along with our Haz Mat trailer, an initial crew of four firefighters responded to the scene. With only one haz mat technician from Langford on scene, two of arriving Sooke Firefighters trained as Haz Mat Techs were put into action to do an overall scene assessment. So Chief Sorensen and Assistant Chief Barney went in with full protective gear and a camera to bring back information for the IC. We quickly determined that there were three tanks in each of the two trailers. Starting from the rear, Compartment 1 had the top dome missing and most of the contents were gone. Compartment 2 had broken the welds and the contents had spilled out, compartment 3 had a hole big enough to climb into from its impact into the rocks and was mostly empty. The next trailer was in better condition. Only the centre tank, containing diesel was leaking slightly. The other two compartments appeared to be intact. Once out of the hot zone, we reported back to IC and worked on a variety of plans. Decontamination zone was set up, booms were placed in the river and Colwood FD set up their big Foam monitor to apply class B foam to the entire scene. From there, it was a hurry up and wait as a variety of experts, provincial ministry personnel, fd peresonnel, truckers, crane operators, tow truck drivers, RCMP, commercial vehicle inspectors and many more all descended on the scene. It wasn't until 5 am the next morning that the initial crew made it home. (Besides the Chief and Assistant Chief, Captain Burket and FF Sutherland were on scene. Firefighter Norris-Jones joined us later as he was in the area. The next morning a relief crew was sent to Langford to assist with the decontamination, foaming of the area and providing protection as the RIT team during the unloading and righting process. Thanks to all those Sooke firefighters that volunteered to attend. Finally at 4:30 pm the second crew arrived home. The Malahat Drive was closed a total of 22 hours and many lessons were learned from this event that will be shared with the officers and senior staff of the DOS as well as other emergency response agencies. It was a miracle nobody was killed or seriously injured in this and from what the experts say, it was very unusual for this type of call not to result in a catastrophic fire.

More Chimney Fires

Just when we thought spring was in the air, chimney fire season reappeared with the cold snap. A total of three were attended to last week. One suffered serious damage to the chimney. This was in an older house with a brick chimney through the centre of the home. The child's bedroom that the chimney passed through was completely filled with smoke although the two small children got out safely. Large cracks were observed around the entire chimney with approximately the top 6 feet coming loose. Crews were on scene for three hours trying to get the bricks to cool down as they were at 200 F for a long period. It appears that the fire got between the clay liner and the brick face and was burning between the two parts. A hole had to be made to allow water to enter the void space and cool things down. An entire wheel barrow of soot and creosote was removed from the cleanout. All in all a tough but well fought battle. Things could easily have been much worse. Crews did an excellent job in getting this difficult fire under control. The other two fires were a little less dramatic. One occured in a brand new home with a metal chimney. While no significant damage was caused, the homeowner was quite distressed. The likely cause appears to be the use of wet wood. The other call occured in an older house but with a new chimney. Heavy creosote was found in this metal chimney, but the fire was quickly extinguished with no further damage being caused.

Further Update on Nakima

She is up and around a little bit. Still has help from a home support worker as Nakima is still using a walker and is in a cast. Not broken but seriously injured. Still severe bruising and internal pain. Also she is waiting for the swelling to go down as her jaw is out of alignment. She may face dental surgery or require her jaw to be broken and reset in the proper position. I have offered the support of all of the FD Members if she needs anything as we all hope for a speedy recovery.

News of the Week

First report is that Nakima is doing OK. Still in hospital with lots of bruises but nothing broken. She reports that she will be off duty for a while and is hoping to get home soon. Able to get up and walk about a little so that is good news. Firefighter performance tests are about to get started. All platoons will get to participate. (Nakima may have to put hers off for a while) Budget talks are nearing the end. So far all seems to be going well. Council will present the entire budget at the District Open House on April 14th for further public input. We have managed to get it down to a less than 3% tax increase so that is definitely good news. If the budget is approved as is, we will soon be able to go to tender for the new truck to replace old 204. We are anticipating a January 2012 delivery date +/- a few days. Some serious discussion on how we respond in the rescue truck (207) A great deal of concern over riding in the back has been expressed. I must agree that this is not the best place to be in if an accident were to occur. Will be up for discussion at the next officer meeting. Prestige Hotel is moving full speed ahead as they prepare for their first conference to be held in just under two weeks. Alarm and sprinkler testing are being conducted tomorrow so hopefully all goes well and the place can open on time. The tanker shuttle evolution went well according to A Chief Barney. With assistance from Shirley, East Sooke, Metchosin and Otter Point it looks like we can do this successfully in almost all areas. Once proven to an engineer and we get certification, this will provide huge dividends for anyone outside of hydrant protection area as they can claim the same rating as hydrant protection for their homes. On a side note, we have ordered a ten inch dump valve for the back of Tender 1 to facilitate a quicker dump and turn around time.

MVI Challenges Rescue Crews

Firefighters from Sooke and Shirley along with local ambulance paramedics faced a difficult and complicated rescue as they dealt with a pick up truck that had gone off the highway on the Muir Creek Hill in Shirley. The truck had impacted the concrete no-posts and then went over the top and down the hill side approximately 30 meters (100 ft) rolling four times as it careened down the emankment. It finally came to a stop in a swamp, with the passenger side partially buried in 2 feet of mud. Not only were rescuers having to contend with a stabilization nightmare, all of the tools had to be packed down the hill and then through the swamp to get to the truck. Using the winch from the Shirley rescue truck and several boxes of cribbing and shoring, the vehicle was stabilized as best could be done in the circumstances. The roof was partially removed in a half flap extrication and the driver finally freed after about 75 minutes of very strenuos effort. (the mud was so thick that once you stepped in, you could not pick up your feet to move to another spot) Several of the firefighters and paramedics were covered in the muck from head to toe. Once freed, the passenger was placed on a basket stretcher and carried up through neighbouring properties to an awaiting ambulance which transported the victim a short distance down the road to an air flight helicopter for the ride to VGH. The driver had freed herself and scrambled up the hill before the arrival of responders. She was transported to hospital by ambulance and was reported to have two broken fingers. The passenger it turns out suffered no serious injuries. A dog located in a crate in the back of the truck was thrown clear as the truck rolled, but other than a coating of mud, suffered no injuries either. Crews returned to their stations were they spent the next hour or two removing mud from everything. Thankfully the Sooke Seniors Group were still in the building and provided lunch to all the members. Crews should be commended on the excellent job they did in a difficult environment. Even with all the different agencies on scene, everyone worked cooperatively and efficiently to get the job done. It was truly a joint effort that provided such a successful outcome.

Whats New This Week

Good news on the waterfront - ha ha - both Prestige Hotel and Mariners Site have their hydrants activated now. In the event of an emergency, this will certainly make things easier. Budget discussions began this week with all departments presenting their 5-year operating and capital budgets to council for their review. The next session(s) will be April 4 and 5 at Committee of the Whole.
The new pickup truck has arrived and is almost ready for service. It just needs stripes and decals (being applied this weekend) and then the cover for the pick up box will take place on Monday. When this is complete, it will go into service as Unit 209 (Batallion 1). Unit 208 will then become Squad 1 - This truck is now almost complete and looks pretty good for a homemade job. All that is left is the rear bumper which is presently being manufactured. This vehicle conversion being done in house and by utilizing a used body came in almost 50% under the budget that was projected. Thanks again to Chris for all his hard work in getting this unit ready. With 208 as Squad 1, Unit 210 (the old ambulance) will again become Squad 2 and be moved back to Station 2. I would expect all of this in place by early next week.
Provided the budget is approved, specs will be drawn up and sent out for bids on the replacement of Unit 204. It is anticipated that this truck will be delivered sometime in early 2012.

I attended the LG EPAC meeting yesterday at CRD Headquarters (lots of acronyms I know) but the interesting thing was a power point presentation by the Saanich Emergency Coordinator on the effects of the two earthquakes that hit Christchurch NZ. Some very interesting stuff here and I will get a copy of the presentation for everyone to view. Somethings that will really make you think about how prepared we think we are. With this in mind and the terrible situation in Japan, I will be planning an EOC exercise based on a large Tsunami off the Coast of Oregon on Saturday, April 30th. It is hoped that many of the DOS staff and volunteers will attend. Check out the email I sent out earlier today for more information.

On a final note, it appears that Evolutions may be on again. (Sponsored by the Vancouver Island Firefighters Association) this is a fun weekend of games and activies for all ages. It appears Ladysmith has offered to host and tentatively have put the date down as July 15 - 17. More info to follow.

Announcements

Congratulations to the following firefighters:

John Hester and Roy Mactavish have been promoted to Acting Lieutenants in their respective platoons. These are 3 month terms that can be renewed. Based on recommendations from their officers, these firefighters were judged to be good candidates for these Acting Positions. Well done guys.

The first member selected to the Safe Firefighter of the Month program was announced today. Firefighter Glenn Harrison was chosen by his platoon members. His insistance on ensuring that all firefighters riding in his apparatus wear their seat belts is a positive step in ensuring that everyone arrives safely at calls, training and back home to the station. Glenn was presented with a certificate, a stainless steel FD thermos and will have his photo posted on the January section of the calendar. Please take the time to review other safe practices and forward names of firefighters that go above and beyond in making sure things are done safely to the OH&S committee for their review.

Again, congratulations to the three of you. I have great respect for your dedication and performance. Keep up the good work.

Spectacular Crash

A spectacular car crash occured last weekend when a car left the roadway, struck a hydro pole guy wire (narrowly missing the pole) crossed a driveway, hit a retaining wall and tree, continued across the driveway, struck the sidewalk, through a fence into the next yard, hit another retaining wall and came to rest on the passenger side against a house. The driver (the mother of one of our members) was conscious and still in the drivers seat on arrival. The vehicle was quickly stabilized by the crew on Engine 2. Next arriving Engine 1 assisted Engine 2 and Rescue 1 set up for extrication. The Jaws of Life were used to remove the roof and free the driver, who miraculously suffered only minor injuries. She was treated and released from hospital and is making a good recovery. Thanks to everyone for a job well done.

Emergency Preparedness

This has certainly been the hot topic of conversation after the devastation that has hit Japan. I would like to start by clearing up some of the rumours floating around about the potential of the Tsunami hitting Sooke.
First off, the letter to the editor in the Mirror was not correct in that the first warning for Sooke came at 8:00 am. I as Emergency Coordinator was notified by phone (three different phones) email and fax at 12:45 by PEP of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The first message was an Advisory - this is the lowest warning level there is. This was later updated to a warning (the second of the three levels) that a tsunami had formed in the Pacific Ocean and was heading towards North and South America. In all of the warnings and advisories that were issued, Sooke was not in the impact zone. In fact all areas South of Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island were not in the danger zone. In spite of this and for due deligence purposes and to be available if people called and had concerns, I activated the Sooke EOC to a Level 1 situation. I also sent an email to all DOS staff and Fire Department members advising them of what was going on. As there was no danger to Sooke, I did not ask for any additional staff to come in. My plan was to wait and see what happened in Hawaii and then wait for further updates. Once the wave hit Hawaii, the experts still felt that Sooke was in no danger. The wave was scheduled to hit the west coast of the Island around 7:00 am, so as a precaution I had Rescue 1 stage at Whiffin Spit to monitor the situation and advise anyone coming down that walking on the beach might not be a good idea. By 8:30, nothing noticeable had been reported and the crew was called back. All in all though, it was a good learning exercise.

As for some other questions that people have asked. No Sooke will not be building a sea wall around the District of Sooke. NO we do not have any Tsunami warning sirens. And finally, we did have Tsunami Warning Signs that were placed at low areas in the District as well as Evacuation Route Signs. Due to many local persons complaining before Council that the signs were lowering their property values, all the signs were removed. As for how to warn people if a Tsunami were approaching Sooke, the only current method we have would be to use the PA Systems on the emergency vehicles and go door to door warning people in low lying areas (provided we received enough warning time) Currently there is no budget to allow for any additional tsunami warning systems in this area.

From what the "Experts" have told us, Sooke is at a fairly low risk for a tsunami due to our unique topogrophy and harbour location. The maximum wave height that might be anticipated is not expected to exceed 1 meter for this area. Areas that are much more at risk would be Jordan River, Port Renfrew and apparently Esquimalt.

Hope that clears things up for people.

News and Weather Update

Was trying to decide whether there was any news to update (ha ha - joke) There always is around here. It looks like Chris has nearly finished working on 208 and has done a remarkable job getting all the lights mounted and working. The paint and body work on the truck body also came out very nicely. The crew at Otter Point Collision did a great job. All we need now is a rear bumper, but we should be able to put the truck back into service by weeks end.

Still no word on the new pick up truck other than Jenner doesn't know where it is. They called today to tell me it hadn't arrived. Maybe tomorrow - time is running out as we need to get this thing finished and ready for service by months end to qualify for the grant we received.

On another note, I will be taking next week off so if you have any issues that require immediate assistance, please contact the Deputy or Assistant Chief depending who is working.

Upcoming Events

Several events are on the horizon that may be of interest to members. On April 10 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm will be the annual meeting of the Archipelgo CISM Society at Langford Fire Station 1. Of particular note will be presentations on the Critical Incident Stress aspect of those involved in the Hudson River Plane Crash in New York, workers in the Haitian and Chilean Earthquakes as well as some information on military members returning from active duty overseas. This could be quite informative.

The District of Sooke will be hosting an Open House at the Community Hall on April 14th. They have invited all of the volunteer emergency services to put on a display. Lets try to get some good ideas together. Maybe something on the FD (recruiting, 1ooth anniversary ???) Pub Ed could do something on preparing homes for forestry season (Fire Smart or ???????) ESS could do a presentation on Earthquake Preparedness or ?????????? Anyway, if you have an idea or want to attend, let me know.

The Officer Board met last night and had a good meeting discussing many issues. Some ideas that will be investigated include updating our recruiting procedures, working on new preplans with a new drawing program recently installed, more weekend training events, health and safety concerns, an update on the situation with the current fleet, Performance testing to be integrated with fit testing and lung testing (all coming up this spring) and all members MUST participate.

Don't forget that next week is the annual general meeting of the Sooke Firefighters Association as well as the Sooke Fire Rescue Society. Election of officers will take place. Instead of complaining about what people do or don't do, why don't you try serving on a committee this year and helping out. The more people involved, the better the Association becomes.

Busy time at Sooke FD

It has been a rather busy few days here at the fire department. Today was certainly busy for calls as we began with back to back calls for a transformer fire and a first responder call. This was followed by another burning complaint, a first response call and then alarm bells at the Museum again. (and it is only 6:00 o clock). Truck 208 is now back in building having returned from the body shop where the new service body with extra height ground clearance has been repaired and painted. Staff are now installing the lighting components. In addition a new rear bumper will have to be installed. Hopefully it is all in place by about weeks end. The new replacement for 209 should also be arriving any day (possibly tomorrow even) - (snow providing) Yes, that is the rumour tonight - it might snow some more. Should make for a fun commute if it does.

Thanks to all the members that attended the training session at Mariners on the weekend. Matt did a great job setting up a rescue scenerio and spent considerable time in training some of the newer members on how to package and load an injured patient into a basket stretcher and then secure them with ropes using the ladder truck as a means of picking the patient off the building. Look for many more training sessions to be held at Mariners over the coming months or even years as this project progresses. Here is an interesting bit of news too. Who ever thought they would see tower cranes in Sooke. Well it appears this is a reality as Mariners will have not one but two or more on site as they move into the next phases of construction this summer. These rigs will probably stand close to 150 feet high and should be visible from all over the community. Signs of a growing town.

A new drawing software program was installed on the FD computer system today. This will give us the ability to draw accurate floor plans and site plans that can be used for preplans at major incidents. Once these are completed, they will be loaded onto the command computer and can be printed in the field for use at these sites. Now that is a major step forward in fireground tactics.

Another Fire Station for Sooke?

Sooke Fire Rescue Service moved one step closer to having another fire station within its jurisdiction as the Silver Spray Fire Hall site was officially turned over to the District of Sooke. This site is located on the first lot in Silver Spray at 6989 East Sooke Road. (it is the small lot loacted along the dotted line nearest Pike Road) Eventual plans call for a small one or two bay fire station. It is anticipated that a small mini pumper will likely be the first apparatus assigned here, however depending on the size of future developments on these properties, a larger fire apparatus may be required. The next step is to determine if sufficient area residents are interested in becoming volunteer members of the department and are willing to look after the needs of this area.

Wild Weather

It has been a crazy week of wild weather with more to come. This weather system has kept members of the Sooke Fire Rescue Service hopping as call after call continues to come in. It all began with icy roads which contributed to a number of crashes. One spectacular crash on West Coast Road had a pick roll over 3 times before coming to rest in the trees. The driver escaped unharmed. Just as crews were clearing from this, another crash on Sooke Road where a car hit and broke a telephone pole. While at this one, another reported crash at Gillespie Road proved unfounded. This was followed shortly by another car crashing through a fence on Sooke River Road. Then the snow started. It snowed and snowed and then cars fell off the road. It always amazes me how people get caught off guard and attempt to drive on poor tires in bad conditions. Oh well, keeps the emergency services and tow companies busy. After dealing with all of those related calls, plus the usual first responder calls, there was also a smoke in structure call which turned out to be a faulty furnace. This was the first emergency response made in the new snow plow vehicle. (by the way, the plow works great - Have you seen the new DOS Engineering Vehicles with their new graphics. It is quite eye catching) The next day the calls started all over again, first a tragic incident in which a body was discovered under the Sooke River Bridge. Firefighters assisted the coroners service in carrying the man up to the roadway. A cause of death is unknown at this time. Later in the day, a car fire was reported but was extinguished by the owner using snow and a bucket of water. Despite his efforts, the van is probably a write off as all of the wiring was burnt up. Shortly after that, alarm bells at Ayre Manor sounded. One of the residents had pulled the alarm. According to her, a sign should be posted above pull stations warning people not to pull them. Can't argue with that kind of logic. Just clearing that and another FR Call came in. And now I have just found out that a major weather system is moving in likely bringing more snow to be followed by heavy rain. With all of the freezing ground, don't be surprised to see some flooding next. Can't wait for March to start and this weather to end. Thanks so much to everyone who has turned out for calls in this. We appreciate your help.

And finally congratulations to Uncle Cam. His sister just had her baby.

Community Wildfire Protection Plan

Several members of the Fire Department and District of Sooke Staff met with the consultants and other stakeholders from the CRD and Ministry of Forests this past Friday as the community wildfire protection plan moves forward. This plan is being put together thanks to a $100,000.00 grant received from UBCM and the Province of BC to develop a comprehensive plan dealing with wildfires and the urban interface. As a joint effort between the DOS and the CRD, this plan will cover all of Sooke as well as the communities of East Sooke, Otter Point, Jordan River, Shirley, Port Renfrew, Piers Island, Willis Point and the CRD Watershed. To date the consultants have mapped most of the terrain and determined areas most at risk using a variety of formulas from fuel typing, topography, access, availability to firefighting equipment, smoke issues, evacuation and so on. These latest meeting were a chance for the groups involved to provide additional input and rate what locals considered the most serious risks and challenges we face. The next meeting will feature a draft report of the final plan and is expected within the next month or so.

News and Information Update

I have been rather busy of late, so haven't had much of a chance to add anything so now seems like a good time for an update. I have been attending several meetings regarding emergency preparedness that have kept me rather busy. A three day seminar was held in Victoria with attendance from almost any emergency and government group you can think of being there. This included fire departments, police agencies, ambulance, CRD Protective Services, CRD Water, Ministry of Forests, Terasen Gas, DND, and well lots more. All were there to review and rate this regions most critical hazards. Over 100 possible situations were reviewed including forest fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, terrorist threats, contamination of drinking water, major storms, power outages, loss of communications, avian flu and well you get the picture. Each one was reviewed and rated by each participant. The results will then be reviewed and from this, the top ten will be selected for further discussion. From here, the top 5 will be selected in great detail. A region wide exercise will be planned to check out the capabilities of agencies to respond in the event one of these catastrophes should occur. If any gaps are found, applications can be made to the Federal Government for funding. All of this is being paid for by the Feds. Kind of our version of Homeland Security. It is all very interesting and at times mind numbing. Quite an eye opener though when you get to hear what other agencies have to consider as threats. Apparently there are more than just fires to worry about. Anyway, having been in on this from the start as a member of the steering committee it is all very interesting and informative. We are only the fifth region in Canada to get this done and are therefore considered a guinea pig as this process is refined to eventually be rolled out across the country. More to follow as it becomes known.

Triathlon Update

The first meeting for the upcoming (August 7) Subaru Triathlon was held last night as preparations get underway for the 5th version of this popular event. For those not familiar with this, the triathlon involves a swim in the lake at Camp Barnard, 4 laps on a bicycle from Camp Barnard and down Otter Point Road to West Coast Road to Otter Point Road and around again and again and again (about 80km) and then the final segment which begins at the municipal hall and consists of a half marathon run from City Hall to the end of Whiffin Spit and back (twice). Many, many volunteers are needed to help make this a success. This a fun, family activity with many additional plans being added this year including a free fitness trade show at the Prestige Hotel open to everyone on the preceeding Friday night and Saturday, kids events, a chance to meet some Olympic Gold Medal athletes and more that is still being worked on. Help is needed for some traffic control, parking attendants, working in the food area to supply the participants with a food break, operating water stations along the routes, ham radio operators for emergency communications, first aid people, set up and take down crews. Friends and family members are all welcome. You can register as a volunteer on line (I will supply the link shortly) or sign up on the board in the fire hall. Now if you are in a fitness mode, you could also compete as they are now offering a category just for emergency responders. If you don't want to do the entire event, there are shorter Olympic and Sprint versions which have less laps to do, or you can even enter as a relay team where one person does the swim, one bikes and the other runs. As an added incentive, the FD will cover the entry fee cost of the first relay team (and/or individual) to come forward and agree to enter the race. Also this year, it appears that a full one hour television production will be made of the race and will include features on Sooke and surrounding areas throughout the show. Last year the Vancouver Race was featured and the show was broadcast 21 times across the country where 1.7 million people watched the program. What a great opportunity for this community. This is all leading up to our hopes of gaining Ironman Status for the 2012 race. Wouldn't that be something? So, if you are interested in any part of this, please let me know. The more the merrier so don't be afraid to twist a few arms to encourage others to help. How about operating a FD Water Station along the route where members can decorate the area, dress up in costumes, maybe even spray water to cool down the runners. All ideas are welcome.

What"s New

It has been a while since I last managed to post anything new, so here is what I remember since last time. First off, we have been rather busy with calls as of late. Surprisingly, the biggest amount of calls seems to be motor vehicle incidents. The most serious of these have happened in the last few days. The first involved three vehicles, however only two were damaged as the third car spun out to avoid the other collision. One car crossing the centre line appears to be the instigating factor in this one. No serious injuries, however a lot of damage to vehicles. Another collision occured late at night across from the Fuse Restaraunt when a car (only 2 days old) lost control while avoiding a deer. (well actually the driver lost control). The car hit and broke a pole off at the base. Likely the vehicle will be written off. Again, thanks to air bags, no injuries.
A batch of alarm calls has come in. Several have involved CO 2 detectors. In one case, elevated levels of CO2 were detected. The owners did admit that were not feeling well over the past few days and actually shut the detector off due to the noise. In another house, the CO2 detector went off to lower than normal oxygen levels in the house. With all windows and doors sealed up tight and the air exchange vents closed, the homeowners were actually breathing down the oxygen levels. Normal levels are 21% in these parts and the home was at 19.5%. Not enough to cause any problems, but it does show how today's newer homes are sealed up so tightly, not only can't the house breathe, but the occupants may begin to suffer.

Still no word on the new pick up truck to replace 209. Hopefully it should be here within the month. The truck committee has begun work on specing out the new apparatus to replace 204.

Work has begun on the framing portion of the first building in the Mariners development. Look for rapid changes as this structure moves forward. Four additional buildings surrounding this one will begin soon as well. This will put an entire new look on the downtown core.

Speaking of which, the new entrance to Evergreen Mall has now opened. This new alignment was completed to allow access to the new traffic circle that will be constructed here this summer.

Work has begun on new townhouses on Townsend Road. There will be approximately 20 units in this development.

New work cabinets were purchased for the fire station. These replaced the old and not very suitable wooden benches over by the workshop. If anyone is interested in these old cabinets, they are here for the taking.

A new computer has been installed in the command vehicle. With a live link to Langford Dispatch, we can now obtain maps and dispatch information directly on screen. With time, building preplans will be placed on this unit with the ability to print maps, floor plans, site plans and more right in the vehicle for use on the emergency scene. If this proves successful, we will look at a similar unit in the duty officer truck next year.

The FD Annual report is now completed. This is a review of what we accomplished in 2010. A copy is available in the coffee room. If you would like a copy of your own, let me know and I will send you a PDF version for your home viewing pleasure.

Well that is it for now. More on a later post.

What's Happening in Sooke - Construction Update

Still lots of construction activity in Sooke. Here is a brief update on some of the projects underway or soon to begin or just completed:
Shoppers Drug Mart is now open. This building is rather large and is fully sprinklered. In the event of an alarm, firefighters will be alerted to the FD Sprinkler connection by the blue strobe light. This will become common place on new larger buildings in the community.

Prestige Hotel is moving along. One wing is nearing completion, with the restaraunt also moving quickly. The convention floor still has a lot of work to do. Within the other wing, drywall work is underway. The boat launch will soon be back under construction (waiting for the final permit) In conjunction with this will be a new pier for public use that will also house the Coast Guard Auxilary rescue boat and eventually a spot for float planes to tie up. Fuel sales are also proposed. Eventually another section of the Boardwalk will also be constructed here along with a new marina for the hotel.

The first building in the Wenstob Industrial Park is now open after receiving his occupancy permit. At the moment, it is mostly storage inside but future plans are hoping for a sound stage and movie making opportunities. This site is located on Idlemore Road.

Also on Idlemore, Dale Arden will be constructing a new large storage building on his property. Proposed use is antique auto repair.

A new church has been proposed on Townsend Road to replace the old St Rose of Lima Church across from the high school. This is currently going through the approval process

The old Payless site has been declared clean and hazardous materials free. An announcement on use of this site is expected soon.

A new townhouse site is currently at the excavation stage on Townsend Road. About 20+ units to be located here.

New Portables are to be installed at Poirier and Sooke Elementary to house new all day kindergarten classes that will be starting in the new term.

A ten lot subdivision has been approved on West Coast Road across from Sooke Harbour Resort and Marina.

Another ten or so lot subdivision has also been approved on Maple Ave.

The site behind Station 1 (Tara Place) has been approved for a three lot subdivion.

20+ lots have been approved at a site on Wright Road.

A proposal for a 135 +/- lot subdivision on the old golf course property on Otter Point Road has gone back to the drawing board as council and staff had some concerns over the narrow roadways being proposed for this site.

Work on the entrance way to Evergreen Mall has been stalled for a while as there are currently no asphalt plants operating. It will have to be gravel for a while longer.

Mariners Village is moving along rapidly. The first building (building 7) has had the underground parking area completed with the slab now being constructed. Framing will soon begin for the next 5 floors. Excavation work will begin within the next week or so for the next 4 buildings that will surround this current structure. These will be 4 storey - 4 unit townhouse blocks. The developers have already been in to propose the next phase that will include the works along Sooke Road. Currently they are reviewing their parking requirements. In one proposal a three storey underground parking garage is being considered. On top of this structure will be five separate multi use buildings. Work on this section and the start of the marina expansion is expected to get underway this summer.

Renovations are underway to the exterior of the old Coast Capital (or Sooke Seniors ) building to house a new dental office.

The Spiritwood development has been approved for approximately 450 units in an area near Firwood Road and Maple Park Terrace. Infrastructure working including expansion of the sewer system is expected to get underway, possibly this spring.

The salmon interpretation centre and fish hatchery on Sooke River Road near Charters Creek are nearing the end of construction. This facility should be opening soon.

Several expansion plans for Ayre Manor have been proposed in a multi year plan that could see the capacity of this site over double its current occupancy.

The Sea Flora building on Otter Point Road is nearing the end of construction and will be applying for an occupancy permit soon. (this is the new green building near the Grant Road intersection)

The first townhouse building on the Eustace / Gatewood corner is nearly complete. Further buildings of this type will be constructed on this site.

Work continues on several existing subdivisions as they continue to expand. This includes Caldwell Road, Aaronwood Road, Churchill Meadows, Stone Ridge Phase 1 and Phase 2 (access of Mountain Heights). Some smaller subdivisions currently underway can be found on French Road at Larkspur, Townsend Road near Rhodonite, corner of Maple and Grant and several along Grant Road. A new 20 lot section for SunRiver is also in the planning stages. The large acreage subdivision of Gillespie Road(only accessible through Metchosin at the moment) will soon be ready for the first houses to be built. Approximately 2 dozen large lots will be on this site. Work continues on the Kendrew Property (Phillips Road) This rural subdivision which allows 4 houses on ten acre lots will have a total of about 65 homes when completed. Currently about 10 have been constructed or are underway.

Work on the Sooke Arenas new dressing rooms and concession expansion are nearly completed.

Developers continue to work on plans for the Grouse Nest Properties. The current projection if this goes ahead would be for about 800 units with some light commercial properties to be included.

While I am sure there are few more proposals out there, this gives you a taste of what is going on in Sooke. (And you thought the construction economy was lagging in our area)