It’s a matter of life and breath.
Some of their equipment is nearly 25 years old. And there is no cheap fix to deal with replacing equipment at Arthur’s fire department.
On Monday night, Arthur Fire Chief Jim Morrison brought experts Gary Horril, of A.J. Stone, and Trevor Picard, of MSA, to explain the state of the Arthur Fire Department’s breathing apparatus.
Morrison said MSA is the company that manufactured air cylinders and airpacks used by the Arthur fire department. The department has dealt with that company for over two decades.
He noted that Horril is the person the department deals with in purchases and repairs of air packs from the A.J. Stone company.
Picard said they were there to help Morrison with the technical aspects and to answer any questions. He also noted there is considerable difference between the old and new equipment.
“One aspect of the new equipment includes telemetry, which allows the incident commander to see what his guys are doing inside the building, such as how much air is left to who is within the building,” Picard said.
He stressed the issue is firefighter safety, and said his main concern is that belt-mounted regulators are now a discontinued line. They stopped production in 2003 and as of Dec. 31, 2008, parts for them were discontinued as well.
“They are considered totally obsolete now – in the fact they cannot be maintained because the parts are no longer available,” Picard said.
He noted a number of units used in Arthur did not pass the latest flow test.
“Because the parts are not available, they are essentially out of service and are down a few units because they cannot be fixed,” he said.
Of the 13 sets of SCBA, or self contained breathing apparatus, five did not pass the air flow test and eight were very close to an air flow minimum, Picard said, adding the regulator must meet a minimum standard.
He also found issues with the face pieces, which over the past 20 to 22 years have started to crack. As a result, there are issues as to fit and, “We cannot keep out the contaminants we want to keep out. It puts you people in a bit of a bind, because with five units not operating as such, and only eight in service – if the fire department responds to a structural fire or [hazardous material] fire, everyone on the scene has to wear them and SCBA – until otherwise deemed not necessary.
“It puts a bit of a crimp into the fire department and how it operates.”
Morrison said most calls are answered by 11 to 12 firefighters. He said the department only has eight remaining airpacks – with five out of service.
“We won’t have enough to cover the guys that are responding,” said Morriston.
Horril said in an inventory of the air cylinders used by the department, 15 of 51 did not pass recent inspections and it is anticipated another 15 will fail this year’s inspection because of age.
“So you’re going to be about 30 cylinders out, as of the end of this year,” Horril said.
Picard said it sounds like a lot, “but on the scene you need a lot more air cylinders than air packs. Firefighters might need to go in and out several times and each time the cylinder needs to be replaced. As well they cannot be refilled on site.”
Morrison said each firefighter could use between two and three cylinders at one fire.
The department has part ownership of a unit used by the Fergus Fire Department to refill the cylinders, and as a result, one person may be required to transport them back and forth to the scene.
Picard said on the positive side new SCBA equipment can make use of the advance in technology. The new standards enhance the durability and safety of the equipment, he said.
Horril said, “The units were bought 20 to 25 years ago. You’ve got your money out of them. We’ve kept them up as best we could for as many years as we could. Unfortunately we’ve run out of parts so we can’t do that for you anymore.”
Picard said it also brings in the health and safety factor if there are firefighters on the scene who are not dressed properly.
Although a quote was drafted to give to council, Mayor Mike Broomhead advised against it.
“If you give it to us now, your competition will see the price in the Newspaper,” Broomhead said. “But you can hand it out to us if you like.”
Picard agreed it might be better to present the price later.
Councillor Dan Yake asked if the telemetry is an “add-on.”
Picard said it is an option.
Morrison said that it would provide more accountability and this is something being investigated.
Picard added that having an accountability system in place is now mandated by the Ontario Fire Marshall’s Office.
In this system, when the firefighter turns on his SCBA, it automatically activates on a screen, with his name, how much air he has, and other information.
“It’s more than what you have with a manual accountability system.”
Yake believes the accountability system was discussed in the past.
Picard added that type of equipment has been used by various fire departments in Ontario since 2005.
Yake said that when Morrison originally brought up concerns, council was not up to date as to how they worked or what the situation really was.
He asked if the five units that failed the test are completely out of service.
Morrison said they are still on the fire truck – but technically should not be. He said it is difficult when there is not enough equipment for the men.
Picard said they still work, and may be considered better than no protection on the scene if there are toxic fumes.
“But if something happened, and it was discovered the units were no good …” Yake said.
Picard noted the life of the air cylinders depends on the original construction.
While steel or aluminum tanks might last indefinitely, the Arthur department has a number of fibre-wrapped units.
They have a life span of only 15 years.
“It’s only the fibre-wrapped tanks which are going out of service,” Horril said.
Broomhead said council has set money aside in the budget for this. “We are going ahead. But under the township’s procurement policy, it needs to get at least two bids on a purchase of this size.”
Fire committee chairman Ross Chaulk said, “We knew this was coming.”
Broomhead said the chiefs and deputies will still need to talk to determine what both departments need. The upgrades will also affect the Mount Forest fire department, but the two departments use slightly different equipment and the Mount Forest equipment is somewhat newer.
Broomhead said there is more of an emergency to deal with the Arthur equipment, but the overall goal is to deal with both.
Chaulk said, “The Mount Forest department is in better shape because the units were replaced on a regular basis and Arthur hadn’t.”
Yake believed roughly $90,000 was set in a reserve for the equipment for both departments.
“It’s not going to be a cheap item, but it is a necessary item,” Chaulk said.
