text:
Editor's blog
Laura King responds to Margaret Wente's column about underworked and overpaid firefighters, but what she says will surprise you.
NFPA Impact: May 2015
When it comes to fire-service training, it is caveat emptor – or buyer beware. Shayne Mintz urges firefighters to brush up on their knowledge of training certification.
Leadership Forum: May 2015
Introducing Barrie Deputy Chief Bill Boyes, the new columnist for Leadership Forum. His inaugural column explains why he chose formal education to advance in the fire service.
Amplify your teaching
What makes a successful PowerPoint? Chris Davison-Vanderburg elaborates on how fire instructors can amp up their teaching by turning down visual noise.
Dress and deportment
Kirk Hughes dives into the world of fire service protocol to clarify the Canadian standards for orders, decorations and medals.
All right. All right. All right. I wasn't going to dignify Margaret Wente's column about underworked and overpaid firefighters with a response. I changed my mind when I read online some of the more than 600 comments about Wente's May 19 musings –632 comments, to be exact. What I'm going to say may surprise you. We could talk about salaries and arbitration and parity with police and doing more with less; we could talk about who responds to tornados, train derailments, floods – all the stuff Wente and the Fraser Institute report on which she bases her column neglect to mention. (You can read my response to the Fraser report here.)Wente's opening line, "It's good to be a firefighter, especially if you live in a small town," holds no water; most small Canadian communities are protected by volunteers. We all know that. And we know that working seven or eight 24-hour shifts a month means firefighters put in more hours on duty than many Canadians do over 30 days in their 8:30-to-4:30 worlds. I'm preaching to the choir. But the choir – that's you guys – better start singing more loudly and more clearly, and in perfect harmony; loudly and clearly enough to be heard by the taxpaying masses who added their two-bucks worth to Wente's remarks and whose online vitriol drips with disdain. It's not my job or your chief's job or the union's job to advocate for you because someone wrote something you don't like (the OPFFA did make a decent video about what firefighters do but I'm not sure it reached those taxpaying masses). If you want to change public perception, then do something.Lots of commenters wrote about how much it irks them to see firefighters in grocery stores shopping for their supper (none explained why). Others bashed firefighters for having second jobs building decks or renovating basements. "Cut back on firefighters and Home Depot would go out of business," one said. There were several references to firefighter hero complexes and the fact that firefighter unions back certain political candidates. There's nothing wrong with buying groceries, building decks on the side or being politically active. But public perception carries a lot of weight. And the public – or at least a good percentage of the people who read Ms. Wente's column – perceives that firefighters are a bunch of louts who sleep soundly on shift, dress in their gear to unnecessarily respond to medical calls for which paramedics are more qualified, stop at Sobeys to pick up pork chops using fire-department dollars (yes we know that's not the case), and, if they are in Ontario, end up on the sunshine list. The taxpaying masses also perceive, and perhaps in this case more rightfully so, that firefighters are asking for more in their contracts but want to do less – premium pay for training, fewer shifts, more vacation, more leave days, more benefits. Does it matter what people think? If 632 Globe readers took the time to comment –we at Fire Fighting in Canada know that readers respond only to what really annoys them – then yeah, it matters, particularly if you let it get to you. And, many firefighters and firefighter associations seemingly do just that. So how do firefighters – you guys – make the taxpaying public understand that you don't sit on your well-paid, well-toned behinds all day waiting for calls from Mrs. Smith? How do you make people grasp the fact that the municipalities in which these angry commenters live – and the politicians they elected – determine the levels of service? When firefighters in Slave Lake, Alta., were chastised after a wildfire burned part of the town rather than praised for saving an even bigger portion of the community, Fire Chief Jamie Coutts made YouTube videos explaining how long and hard his team worked, what they saved, how overwhelming the fire was. He used social media to turn the tables on the naysayers. Several of our Fire Fighting in Canada columnists have written about marketing your department to your community and helping to change negative public perception; doing so requires work, they note. You are smart people. If you don't like what Globe and Mail readers or the Fraser Institute says (even if it is inaccurate) turn the tables. Do something about it. Me and at least 632 others will be watching.
I had one day off between a recent trip to Vancouver Island and a weekend presentation to the members of the Redwood Meadows Emergency Services in Alberta, and was busy fine-tuning my PowerPoint when my dog jumped on my MacBook keyboard. I immediately wondered how she could do that and not break my keyboard…oops, I was wrong and picked up the broken key off the floor. A little bit of panic set in because I don't have a backup and even though one key was broken, along with its functionality, I could still use my laptop and give my presentation. The fire training kicked in and my job was to solve my problem and get a new keyboard or buy a new laptop. The cheaper option was, obviously, getting the keyboard fixed, but I could have used a new excuse to replace my two-year-old MacBook Pro. After making a phone call to an Apple store in Calgary I made arrangements to stop in while en route to Cochrane and get some opinions on my options. I drove through Edmonton to get to Calgary and then off to Cochrane to my hotel lodgings. While driving through Edmonton I managed to get lost (even though I had my GPS) and this required a phone call to the boss (my wife) for guidance. Yeah, I could sense the surprise in my wife's voice when I told her I was lost in Edmonton and the car was literally running on fumes. Thankfully, I was able to get fuel and then head to Calgary. While in Calgary looking for the Apple store, I got lost. Yup, again! I know, I know, I had my GPS on, but one wrong turn and I was lost. Another call to the boss to vent my frustration and then I decided to follow the directions on the GPS to get me to my destination. I swear it took me through the scenic route in Calgary, but at least I arrived at the Apple store. While talking to two different reps at the Apple store, it became clear that my MacBook Pro is still very fast and has the maximum amount of RAM and there was no benefit to upgrading unless I had nothing better to do with my money. That was a good sign and even though I was looking for an excuse to get a new one, I followed some advice from my friend Rich Gasaway and used my intuition and decided to save my money. I spent the next day with Redwood Meadows Chief Rob Evans and he took me through the service boundaries that fall within his department's jurisdiction. Rob took me to several areas and described the impact from the 2013 flood. When Redwood Meadows got hit, I was following Rob on his Facebook while he was posting about the berm in Redwood Meadows. When I stood on the berm I could not comprehend how much water actually flowed past and came within inches of destroying the berm. It's not a secret that Rob is a great photographer and since I consider myself below the novice level, I got some good ideas and could hardly wait to order a few more toys (I mean pieces of equipment). Hey, after all I didn't have to spend a ton of money on my laptop, so any excuse to spend money on camera equipment works for me. I told Rob how I managed to get lost in Edmonton and Calgary and I asked him if the camera store I wanted to go to would be hard to find. The look on his face spoke loudly enough and then he said, "It is hard to find and you would probably get lost." Thanks Rob for saving me some undue frustration and embarrassment. Four departments were represented at the leadership seminar and several firefighters and chief officers drove hours to attend. It was a great day and it's hard not to get energized from the passion of those who attended. In the last 10 days I have met with the leadership of more than a dozen volunteer fire departments and I am amazed at the services these departments provide to their communities. These volunteers work regular jobs and unselfishly serve so they can help keep their communities safe. I know the hours required to keep up on the practical skills, and I was even more impressed when many officers were talking about the courses they are taking from post-secondary institutions. Simply amazing, and all with the intent to become better officers. Wow! What was really cool during my seminar was the fact that there were Boomers, Gen-Xers and Millennial's in the room. The open discussions we had were incredible and there is little doubt in my mind that the departments represented on Saturday understand the necessity of good leadership in the department. Now that I am back home, all I have to do is update the GPS in my car and spend some time reading the user manual so I know how to save myself the embarrassment of getting lost and admitting it to my wife. Luckily for me my return trip was uneventful and I even had a chance to stop in at IKEA and Costco and I didn't get lost once.Les Karpluk is the retired fire chief of the Prince Albert Fire Department in Saskatchewan. He is a graduate of the Lakeland College Bachelor of Business in Emergency Services program and Dalhousie University's Fire Administration and Fire Service Leadership programs. Follow Les on Twitter at @GenesisLes
May 12, 2015, Toronto – Context. There's certainly not a lot of it in the Fraser Institute bulletin on municipal fire services released last week. If you haven't read one of the many news stories about the report, here's the gist: there are more career firefighters in Canada – specifically, in Ontario – than there used to be but fewer fires. Really? It took three highly educated researchers – people with masters degrees and PhDs – to put together a 14-page document that includes two full pages of references (to justify their hours of research, no doubt) yet fails to mention that fires burn hotter and faster than they used to, that there are standards and SOPs and SOGs for sending firefighters to structure fires, that municipalities determine the levels of service they want, and that some firefighters work in prevention and public education – areas that contribute to the reduction in fires. Wow. If a reporter – like me – published a news story that was devoid of context, he or she would be pilloried and vilified. (The IAFF does just that in its response to the bulletin, posted last night, which is worth reading and challenges the researchers' methodology.) What's more, the Fraser Research bulletin bizarrely features a graphic on its cover of a firefighter wielding hose that is spraying paper money and coins. Is it the mandate of the Fraser Institute – a non-partisan research and education organization – to editorialize and sensationalize? OK. I know. I have skin in the game. I've had calls and emails about the report and people asking if I planned to write about it. I didn't. Until I got the calls and emails. Because, frankly, I didn't think it justified a response. But if the bulletin is being distributed among municipal leaders who, mind you, probably know a lot more about fire than these three researchers, then perhaps they will also read this and glean the much-needed context. It wasn't clear to me who commissioned the report, so I sent an email to lead author Charles Lammam. He replied last night. "In an era where municipalities across Canada face budgetary pressures while claiming a lack of revenue, all spending choices warrant close examination," he said.(I see he used the same line in an op-ed piece in the Vancouver Province – I didn't even get an original answer.) "No agency or group commissioned the report." OK. Fair enough, given that there have been plenty of news reports critical of firefighter salaries and municipalities complaining that they can't afford them – although, interestingly, that's not the focus of the report. I also asked whether the researchers – who complained about the lack of available statistics on fires and firefighters – had contacted each provincial office of the fire marshal or fire commissioner to ask for data. Yes, yes, we know there's no national database but a little digging would have unearthed provincial numbers. I find it curious that the report doesn't include them. The Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management provided numbers, Lammam said. Other details came from annual reports from Calgary, Montreal and Toronto – all easily accessible online, and Statistics Canada. He didn't answer my question. As the IAFF points out, the report does, however, include firefighters who work for private companies – oilfields, for example – in its conclusion that the number of firefighters has increased in the last 16 years. Those firefighters are not paid by municipalities so I'm baffled about the relevance. The Ontario numbers were easily accessible and, therefore, the report focuses on Canada's most populous province, where cities such as Brampton and Milton are among the fastest growing in Canada. And, therefore, because councils in Brampton and Milton and the like have set the levels of service, there are more firefighters than there used to be. Surprise. "We're seeing a puzzling trend," Lammam said in the email, "a growing number of firefighters and escalating fire services spending, despite fewer fires to fight." Clearly Mr. Lammam and his team didn't ask anyone in the fire service why there are more firefighters and fewer fires. Doing so, of course, would have debunked the report – provided context. I could go on and even agree with some of the comments made by Ontario union president Carmen Santoro on a radio talk show on Friday, but I'll leave you with a few thoughts. The report acknowledges that firefighters (maybe we should call them something more accurate – emergency responders?) do more than fight fires – medical calls, hazmat incidents, motor vehicle collisions. But it fails to take into account tornadoes and mall collapses and wildfires and floods and train derailments. It fails to mention that if municipalities were to reduce service levels then residents might demand a reduction in taxes. It fails to mention that firefighters don't want more fires and more property damage and more injuries and fatalities. It fails to recognize that municipalities are matching the level of service to the risks in their communities – because that's what taxpayers want. There's the context.
May 8, 2015, Toronto – I'm going to say it out loud (or, more accurately, type it): there is going to come a day – soon – when municipalities will require the people they hire to be firefighters to have university degrees. No degree. No job. That shouldn't surprise you – it's a natural evolution given the business, management, political and soft skills required to be promoted in the fire hall or into management. Education – for firefighters and fire officers – emerged as a theme in my circles the last couple of weeks. The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management and the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs have all announced education programs. Only the OAFC program includes a degree – through the University of Guelph Humber in emergency management. Essentially, it seems to me, organizations are back filling, trying to get fire personnel the education they need to do their jobs – once they already have the jobs. That's why I expect municipalities to change the criteria for their firefighters to include a university education. As OAFC first vice-president Steve Hernan explained to me yesterday, "around the council table, and when fire officers are looking for jobs, [councillors] are looking for degrees rather than diplomas. They want the people they hire to have the critical-thinking skills that come with that." Briefly, the OAFC's program builds on the education that fire officers already have – NFPA Fire Officer I and II – through a certificate program that requires 18 credits in management, human resources, emergency services management and emergency incident management. Those courses lead to a college diploma and the college credits can then be applied toward the university degree. Make no mistake, Hernan said, it's a lot of work and requires consistent part-time study. The point, said Hernan, is to build on the courses and certificates a fire officer already has rather than start from scratch, and develop the skills municipalities are demanding of their senior-management team members. There have, for years, been issues in Ontario (and other provinces) with fire officer training – access to it, funding for it, delivery of it. And there have been complaints that the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management doesn't provide a full range of necessary courses and programs. Now, Fire Marshal Ted Wieclawek told delegates to the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs conference this week, there's a deal with the U.S. Fire Administration's National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Md. – the OFMEM will be the only external organization accredited to deliver National Fire Academy programs, including the executive fire officer course. Interestingly, when Wieclawek asked who in the room of more than 300 chief officers might be interested in taking such courses, not a single hand went up. I messaged OAFC president Matt Pegg to ask why. "The NFA executive fire officer program is both exclusive and well regarded," he said. "I suspect that most Ontario chiefs will not be familiar with it." Which is probably the case. As Pegg said, you can't want what you don't know about. The deal, I'm told, required some finagling to do with student background checks, academic history, and such. As for the CAFC, its professional development program launched last week. Details were in our February issue. The three organizations' programs – the OAFC's, the OFMEM's and the CAFC's – have different goals but the message is clear. What's also clear is that getting hired after doing a quick stint at a firefighter training campus or a community college will soon be unlikely.
May 5, 2015, Simcoe, Ont. – This past weekend was full of lessons and firsts for me in my (relatively) new role of assistant editor. With laptop, camera, phone and tape recorder in tow, I attended my first Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs conference and trade show in Toronto. Those of you who know me (particularly the ones I met at the conference) will know I'm a total conference newbie. I'm about nine months into the job and learning more every day. I probably looked a little lost throughout the weekend, but I was lucky enough to have an experienced editor at my side to help me navigate the unfamiliar territory. (Thank you, Laura King!) My expectations were high going in with this being Canada's largest show, and after hearing stories about how fun it can be from my colleagues. Three activity-filled days later, I can now report that those expectations were exceeded. It was the first time I messaged my loved ones with: "Having fun while working this weekend. How bizarre!" Without further ado, here are the top five things I – an inexperienced conference-goer – learned at the OAFC conference and trade show 2015: 1) Social media introduces you to people. I can't tell you how many times I recognized faces from Twitter or Facebook and introduced myself with, "I know you!" And it was true – on a social-media level I did know them and we were already introduced. I thank my active presence on social media for making it easier to meet and greet during both the conference and trade show. You can bet I'll be ramping that up over the next little while, and adding a ton of new acquaintances. 2) Networking can happen anywhere. Whether it's a discussion during the morning coffee break or bumping into a conference-goer in the hotel lobby, networking is happening at all hours during a conference. And networking, we all know, is the quintessential conference experience. Meeting new people is the best way to learn from them. Granted, what I'm learning as an assistant editor of a magazine is slightly different than what chief officers are learning from each other! 3) Plans help, but it's still easy to feel overwhelmed. This lesson is specific to the trade show since the OAFC did not overlap its sessions. The Ontario trade show is the largest in Canada and I don't think I was quite prepared for its size. (I have, of course, been informed of the craziness that is FDIC trade show in Indianapolis.) I combated my feelings of awe by wandering about slowly to take it all in, then doing a second sweep of particular booths I wanted to revisit. I was lucky enough to meet a few patient vendors who gave me laymen's explanations for their featured products. In the future, I'd feel more prepared if I knew what products I'd like to focus in on, while being open to anything that catches my eye. 4) Don't forget your business cards. This one is pretty specific, but I thought I'd throw it in since I did, in fact, forget my business cards and keenly felt their absence. In fact, at one point, a new acquaintance took a photo of the lone card I had stashed in my wallet so that he had a copy for reference. You can imagine my embarrassment! Lesson learned. 5) And lastly, firefighters, especially leaders, are passionate about their jobs. I had an idea of this passion before I went into the conference after months of editing copy written by firefighters, and chatting with many on the phone. But it wasn't until I sat in on Saturday's learning sessions that I got a real sense of the extent of that passion. Grand Falls-Windsor, N.L., Fire Chief and Fire Fighting in Canada columnist Vince MacKenzie's passion for the volunteer fire service and leading with the positivity shined through during his presentation on leadership attitude. Kingsville, Ont., Fire Chief Bob Kissner was clearly amped up to share his knowledge of flow paths and SLICE-RS to the room of attendees. And David Griffin – a firefighter from Charleston, S.C., who presented on the Charleston 9 firefighters who lost their lives at the Sofa Super Store fire in 2007 – took the cake for passion, and volume. He spoke (yelled) on the need to embrace change in the fire service, drawing from the lessons learned by his department. Outside of the sessions, passion came through during the trade show Sunday as vendors eagerly shared their products and explained how they can help keep firefighters safe. And passionate faces beamed Saturday night as the organizers of the Ladders Up for the Foundation event proudly held up a $28,000 cheque for the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Thank you to all those passionate people who made my first conference and trade show experience a complete blast!
May 5, 2015, Readwood Meadows, Alta. - I was looking back at the blogs I had written for Fire Fighting in Canada and realized there was a pattern forming. That pattern seems to be very long periods between blogs. And that is a problem. Not because I am under any type of contractual agreement or anything such thing, but because I enjoy writing. Writing and photography have always been my "good" stress. I last wrote about the need for smoke alarms in homes and sprinklers in care facilities – how the proper use of both would save lives – on March 4. Stressing the need for sprinklers and smoke alarms is nothing new for any of us, and sadly it is something we seem to need to continually reinforce. When I wrote that blog, I would never have dreamed that our fire department, Redwood Meadows Emergency Services (RMES), would respond to a fatal house fire the next day. A 17-year-old teen lost her life that day after becoming disoriented in the basement of a burning home. The call was a mutual aid request to RMES from a neighbouring department and by the time we had arrived, rescues had been made and the house was fully involved. Fire suppression efforts continued and we stood by until investigators were ready to have us begin the search for the girl. I was the operator of our tender and had a great crew with me during the call. It was our first fire fatality in the 23 years I have been a member of RMES and hopefully it will be our last. Smoke alarms save lives! We have to continue pressing that message or we will never have a chance of making that our last fatal fire. There are many messages that we as firefighters need to continue delivering. Carbon-monoxide alarms are just as important as smoke alarms to have in your homes. At the beginning of April, within a two-day span, 12 people in Calgary were taken to hospital after CO incidents. Home sprinklers should remain on our radar because there is absolutely no doubt that they save lives and protect property. But we need to deliver messages to our own and for our own as well. Whatever form or name worker's compensation takes in your province, we need to continue educating ourselves about occupational cancers. But we also need to continue ensuring that fire departments and their members are doing everything they can to prevent those exposures. Wear your turnout gear properly. Wear your breathing apparatus. Decontaminate after exposures. And then there are the "bad" stresses. We need to look out for one another and take care of our own mental health. We cannot stop talking about critical-incident stress. To end the stigma associated with mental-health problems we need to make talking about it the norm. For me, writing and photography will increase so that "good" stress starts to take over. Hopefully that means you will be reading more of my ramblings as we go into summer. Rob Evans is the chief fire officer for Redwood Meadows Emergency Services, 25 kilometres west of Calgary. Evans attended the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in 1989 and studied photojournalism. In 1992, he joined RMES after taking pictures of an interface fire and making prints for the department. He has his NFPA 1001 level II certification, NFPA 472 Operations and Awareness (hazmat), NFPA 1041 level I (fire service instructor), Dalhousie University Certificate in Fire Service Leadership and Certificate in Fire Service Administration and is a registered Emergency Medical Responder with the Alberta College of Paramedics. He lives in Redwood Meadows with his wife, a captain/EMT with RMES, and three children. Follow him on Twitter at @redwoodwoof
May 4, 2015, Prince Albert, Sask. – This past weekend I had the opportunity to present a one-day leadership seminar at the Smoky Mountain Weekend Fire/Rescue Expo in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. The expo started about 17 years ago with a few classes; today, about 900 firefighters gather in Pigeon Forge to participate in hands-on training and classroom sessions.One of the expo highlights was a RIT maze competition. Once a mayday is called, firefighters enter a maze and go through a series of obstacles and entanglement props, break through a wall and connect emergency air to a downed firefighter. The firefighters faces are blacked out during the exercise (rather, the competition), which forces them to communicate and act as though it is a real situation. The competition drew a large crowd and it was clear each team was determined to win. I have never had the opportunity to observe this competition and as a spectator I could feel my adrenaline rushing. How can you not respect firefighters who train hard to protect their communities?One of the benefits (I tend to call it a blessing) of speaking at conferences is the great people I am able to meet. I have met so many passionate firefighters across Canada and now I can say the United States. Pigeon Forge Training Officer Chris Knutsen is one of those individuals who is truly passionate about training because he knows lives depend upon it.The energy of Knutsen and those attending the conference could be felt throughout the conference centre. It was incredible! View the embedded image gallery online at: http://www.firefightingincanada.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=latest&layout=latest&Itemid=1#sigProGalleriac13cb49935 I was fortunate to meet and bounce around ideas around with so many great people at this conference and one such individual was Deputy Chief Jeff Alter from the Seminole Tribe of Florida Fire Rescue department. He told me about five key rules that are followed in his department. As Alter rattled on about his rules and explained to me what they were, I knew I would have to write about them. I only hope I do justice to the rules and I will describe them the best I can.Rule 1: honesty and integrity in everything you do. This means to act ethically, honestly and with integrity while at the firehouse and while serving the public. Do this in everything you do. Period!Rule 2: firefighter safety is never compromised. I don't think I need to elaborate on this rule. When Alter spoke about firefighter safety, you knew he lived and breathed this rule.Rule 3: be nice ¬– no bad attitudes. This was another rule that Alter's body language communicated with zero compromise. If a firefighter has a bad day and it negatively impacts the rest of the team, it is dealt with immediately. I did not get the impression that it is dealt with harshly; rather, steps are immediately taken to deal with the attitude before it impacts the rest of the firefighting team or the public.Rule 4: never walk by something that is wrong. If you see something that is wrong, you now own it; so take the necessary action to fix it. It's a very simple philosophy.Rule 5: it's not personal, it's business. Back to the scenario in Rule 3, if the firefighter is negatively impacting the team and causing moral issues, the firefighter is given permission to go home. The team comes first and if a firefighter is negatively impacting moral, being sent home is not personal, it's business.Being able to speak in Tennessee was truly a great experience. Now I know what they mean by Southern hospitality.I am privileged to have made many new friends from Tennessee who are passionate about the fire service. The only obstacle I had to overcome was trying to understand the local accent. Apparently many firefighters in my class were challenged by my accent; I don't get it – the only people who had accents in my class were the firefighters!Les Karpluk is the retired fire chief of the Prince Albert Fire Department in Saskatchewan. He is a graduate of the Lakeland College Bachelor of Business in Emergency Services program and Dalhousie University's Fire Administration and Fire Service Leadership programs. Follow Les on Twitter at @GenesisLes
May 4, 2015, Toronto – I met Jessica Boomhower last night. Jessica, you may remember from a column in the December issue of Fire Fighting in Canada, is a 20-year-old firefighter from Greater Napanee, Ont., who collapsed while getting onto a truck for a call last June. Jessica had a brain bleed. She is in a special-ordered hot-pink wheelchair, although she walked on Saturday, unassisted under the watchful eye of Chief Terry Gervais, a milestone after brain surgery in March. Not a big deal, Jessica insisted with a typical young-adult attitude: "It was just too much trouble to get my wheelchair or walker out." Jessica's sense of humour is intact but she has lost the hearing in her left ear. She calls her progress slow. Her mom, Bonnie, also a volunteer firefighter for the Greater Napanee Emergency Services, marvels at how far she has come in less than a year. Jessica cruised the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs trade show yesterday and attended the memorial service and reception last evening. The folks Greater Napanee are resilient. The Highway 401 bus crash that involved several members and their families had already brought the department closer together. Jessica's challenge is another hurdle but hardly a roadblock. - Delegates here learned a lot about resilience yesterday. I've seen a lot of duds in eight years of conferences and presentations, so I was looking forward to hearing David Griffin, the driver of the first-due engine at the Charleston, S.C., Sofa Super Store fire. Griffin's energy – HE YELLS A LOT! – is contagious and, admittedly, part of his schtick as a speaker, but his message – that doing things the way they've always been done just because they've always been done that way is unacceptable – is bang on. In Charleston, where everything that could go wrong did, and nine firefighters died fighting that furniture-store blaze, there was no accountability system. No RIT. Tradition dictated SOPs and SOGs. Egos as big as aerial trucks trumped safety. Best practices didn't exist. Griffin was on the pump panel that day. There wasn't enough water pressure. He shut off the flow at a crucial moment. His survivor guilt drove him to alcohol, drugs and mixed-martial arts fighting. Until he woke up with his eyes swelled shut from blows to the face and realized that punishing himself wasn't the answer. He went to school to learn about leadership and change. And he had hundreds of fire officers hanging on his every word yesterday. He tells the story better than I can – we'll have his book In Honour of the Charleston 9: A Study of Change following Tragedy, on our Firehall Bookstore site shortly. Read it! - It's down to 13 candidates for 12 spots on the board of directors of the OAFC. Voting ends tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. Of course, no one wants to be the odd person out so there is some lobbying going on – I even saw some vote-for-me flyers. I'm told Matt Pegg will not be challenged in his run for a third term as president, and although no one expects big change, there's certainly talk that a board incumbent could be unseated. As always, watch @fireincanada and @OnFireChiefs on Twitter for results.
April 30, 2015, Toronto – Most of us know about the Charleston 9 – the firefighters who were killed after they responded to the Sofa Super Store fire on Monday, June 16, 2007, in South Carolina. Most of us probably haven't heard of David Griffin, the driver on the first engine to respond. Griffin's story is gut-wrenching. "Plagued with survivor's guilt, he numbed himself with alcohol, painkillers and blood sports so much that it nearly cost him his life," according to the bio on the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs website. Griffin had fought Houston 'The Assassin" Alexander in a mixed-martial arts bout. For three days, his eyes were swelled shut from the battering to his face. At which point Griffin stopped feeling sorry for himself and did something to honour his nine fallen colleagues – he got a doctorate of education and is helping to change the way firefighters are trained. I sit through a lot of presentations at conferences. I'm looking forward to this one on Sunday at the Ontario chiefs annual education seminar. Griffin, by the way, a former professional baseball player, is just 34 years old; in 2007, when he drove the truck to that Super Sofa fire, he was 26. The OAFC trade show and conference – the largest in Canada – ought to be interesting. The agenda is fulsome – Griffin's presentation follows former FEMA deputy director Richard Serino's talk about the Boston marathon bombing, another must-see. From an inside-baseball perspective, there will likely be some politicking in the hallways as candidates for the board of directors jostle for votes (up to 16 for 12 positions, I believe) and then for positions on the executive. With Greater Napanee Chief Terry Gervais retiring and Hawkesbury Chief Ghislain Pigeon moving on, there will be a minimum of two new faces on the board, and, if my intelligence is correct, potential for some change on the executive. Watch for tweets (@fireincanada) when election results are announced on Tuesday. I'm also hearing rumblings about change at the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management so I'll be hunting for confirmation. The OFMEM's booth at the trade show is always bustling with uniformed staff, and Fire Marshal Ted Wieclawek gives his annual update to OAFC delegates at 8 a.m. Tuesday. With the Ontario training officers, communicators and public educators conferences running simultaneously to the OAFC – there are several joint sessions but also separate seminars and presentations – there will be more than 600 delegates at the Toronto Congress Centre, starting Saturday morning. The trade show opens Sunday at 10 a.m. – I'm hoping to connect with all the vendors I missed last week in Indianapolis! – and, as always, assistant editor Maria Church (a conference/trade show rookie!) and I are looking forward to networking – I find the best story ideas talking to people after hours. Mostly, though, we're looking forward to golf tomorrow – our annual Fire Fighting in Canada/OAFC Provincial Open. Maria will be on the $10,000 hole-in-one tee watching for a lucky drop, and – as was the case last week in the collapsed-structure simulator at FDIC in Indianapolis – I will be trying not to humiliate myself. Fore!
April 28, 2015, Toronto – I don't know how, but it seems I missed more at FDIC in Indianapolis last week than I saw. I missed Redwood Meadows Emergency Services Capt. Jennifer Low-Evans complete her first 5K in the Courage and Valour Fun Run on Thursday. I missed Brampton firefighter Britney Holmberg and her teammates win the female relay in the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge on Friday. I missed seeing Ryan Pennington – some of you know him as @jumpseatviews – who writes for our magazines about hoarding and, for the first time, taught at FDIC. Two and a half days, a spreadsheet full of meetings with vendors and writers from across Canada, the gigantic trade show, a morning in the Guardian Safety & Survival Training Simulator (more on that below) and the usual after-hours networking that is part of the FDIC experience. And that's the tip of the proverbial iceberg. I saw a bit of the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation/9-11 stair climb on Friday between meetings with truck manufacturers at the mammoth Lucas Oil stadium. (Pierce's 107-foot aerial on a single rear axel is impressive, even to non-truckies like me.) I talked with a lot of people about technology – wi-fi and backup cameras and command/control systems that do everything but drive the trucks. I saw Hurst's newest edraulic tools – stronger and more technologically advanced to help rescuers deal with reinforced vehicles. I saw Alan Brunacini walking down the street by himself – twice. I had dinner at a table beside Billy Goldfeder. I ran into Vaughan Fire Service chief mechanic and writer Chris Dennis and Thames Centre Chief Randy Kalan – and dozens of other Canadians. I met with Calgary firefighter Randy Schmitz – who has written for our Canadian Firefighter magazine the entire time that I've been editor. I watched groups of firefighters testing tools and PPE and wishing they had a municipal chequebook in hand. View the embedded image gallery online at: http://www.firefightingincanada.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=latest&layout=latest&Itemid=1#sigProGalleria628c42e958 My plan last week was to talk to truck makers to find stories for our annual apparatus issue in November. Interviews were set up in advance and public relations people came armed with key drives full of high-res photos and PDFs full of specs. My secondary mission was to experience the Personal Protection Equipment Specialists /Guardian collapsed-structure simulator (www.ppesguardian.com). Given the Elliot Lake mall collapse in 2012 and the tornado in Essa, Ont., in 2014, I thought it would be a good idea to learn more about search and rescue in collapsed structures. My first clue that the simulator might turn out to be more than I expected came when the PR guy said he was looking forward to hearing about my experience in the "box of pain." Probably not the best advertising tagline, I thought. So, I packed my custom-fitted Globe gear (sorry, shameless plug!) and hoofed it four long Indianapolis blocks from my hotel to South Street where the simulator was set up outside Lucas Oil, near the Scott Combat Challenge – prime real estate indeed! It turns out that Guardian owner Kerry Oswald – a small woman with a great big personality – developed the idea for the simulator after a week spent washing coveralls for urban search and rescue teams after 9-11. "They told us that those coming to help just didn't have the training," Oswald said. Oswald works with trainers from the Baltimore City Fire Department, who (very patiently) escorted me through the simulator – the unit I was in costs about US $400,000. I asked for light just once when I could feel a tight space through which I was supposed to shimmy, sideways, using my hands to pull me forward, but was nervous about getting stuck – and humiliating myself! With a bit of coaxing, it was a piece of cake. I made it over the floating floor, through the entanglements, across the catwalk, tossed debris aside (mild exaggeration – I grunted and pushed with all my weight), crawled up blocked stairs and through narrow passageways, slid through a crevice, jumped at the sound effects – cries for help, creaks and groans – and remembered to sound the floor in front of me at all times, right hand on the wall, left hand outstretched to feel, in the pitch black. I banged my (securely helmeted) head about 100 times, my knees may never recover, and I sweated off every calorie consumed over four days in Indy – including the world-famous shrimp and hotter-than-hot, clear-your-sinuses-and-make-your-eyes-water cocktail sauce at Harry & Izzys Steakhouse. I spent the week before Indy in Dryden, Ont., at the Northwest Response Forum, learning about the bureaucratic side of emergency management and response from those who had responded to collapses, tornados and floods. I wanted more hands-on experience. Jennifer Evans, Britney Holmberg and Ryan Pennington achieved lofty goals in Indy. My goal was journalistic – to be better able to write and edit stories about emergency response so that I can use what I learned and saw and touched to help Canadian firefighters better themselves and, hopefully, help to make their jobs easier and safer. After completing the simulator exercise and taking photos, I hid my soaking wet hair under a ball cap, and started to walk back to the hotel carrying my jacket, pants, boots, helmet, camera and my everything-else-I-might-need-in-Indy bag that included a tape recorder, notebook, wallet, maps, Blackberry, iPhone . . . you get the gist. I made it half a block and grabbed a cab. The trade show had just opened and I had miles to go that afternoon. Literally.
April 21, 2015, Prince Albert, Sask. – It sure was great seeing many of my former colleagues at the Saskatchewan Association of Fire Chiefs conference held this past weekend in Swift Current. The Swift Current Fire Department put on a great show and had an excellent speaker lineup. Several months ago, I was delighted to find out that I would be presenting at the conference along with my good friends author Rich Gasaway and Comox Fire Chief Gord Schreiner. Gasaway gave three presentations that grabbed the audience's attention with examples of the need for situational awareness and paying attention to your surroundings through your senses. I'm going to put a twist on Gasaway's situational-awareness message by applying it to leadership. Gasaway stated that the sixth sense is called intuition – the voice inside your head that says something isn't right – and we should all listen to it. As a fire service leader, it's important to get in tune with your intuition, especially when it comes to dealing with personnel issues. Gasaway emphasized that if we can't change the outcome of an event, then the best thing to do is stay out of the way, otherwise you can become a victim. The same idea can be applied to leadership. As a fire service leader, it's important to realize that some things can't change and the best thing to do is to stay out of the way of the predicable outcome. In his #Stopbad presentation, Fire Chief Gord Schreiner spoke about preventing bad things from happening on the fire ground. He identified a simple and effective way to track personnel during emergencies and gave examples on why this was critical to keep firefighters safe. Day 2 of the conference began with a bear-pit session with a panel (including Fire Commissioner Duane McKay) on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and critical-incident stress debriefing (CISD). Throughout the discussion it was evident that there is a real need to have PTSD and CISD training available to fire departments across Saskatchewan. Many fire chiefs from volunteer departments identified how their limited budgets make it difficult to access this type of training, yet they are expected to respond to emergencies that can cause some mental-health issues with firefighters. If the fire service isn't dealing with CISD and PTSD at the local and provincial level, then I say shame on us. Maybe that is harsh, but we are losing too many good people by suicide because they didn't have the tools to deal with their demons. The fire service is a great profession, whether career or volunteer, but there is a price to pay for being in this profession. PTSD & CISD training for every firefighter is a great way to start preventing, or at the very least minimizing, PTSD in firefighters. I'm not an expert, but I have known two firefighters who have committed suicide, and I can certainly attest to the fact that training is needed for mental health as much as it is for learning how to properly attack a structure fire. My presentation was on my 10 rules for situational leadership. I appreciated the feedback and comments from the audience after my presentation. I have never had the opportunity to listen to the life story of Calgary Assistant Chief Tyler Pelke and if you ever have a chance to hear his story, you must make it a priority and get to his presentation. Pelke spoke about leadership in life is by understanding the choice between being a victim, surviving and thriving. Pelke's story is truly inspiring and I see him as a courageous leader that is making a difference in people's lives. I commend the host committee for the great job they did hosting the conference in Swift Current. It was great exchanging ideas with Gasaway and Chief Schreiner and more importantly, it was great to make new friends at the conference. Les Karpluk is the retired fire chief of the Prince Albert Fire Department in Saskatchewan. He is a graduate of the Lakeland College Bachelor of Business in Emergency Services program and Dalhousie University's Fire Administration and Fire Service Leadership programs. Follow Les on Twitter at @GenesisLes
When it comes to fire-service training, it is caveat emptor – or buyer beware.
You love amplifiers. Even if you don't rock out, you love amplifiers. Now before the jazz, classical music and easy-listening aficionados move on to the next article, allow me a moment to explain. As you know, a sound amplifier essentially takes noise and increases its strength to make it louder. As a firefighter, you love amplification because increasing strength with equipment is something that we do daily: fire pumps increase the discharge pressure of our water, hydraulics move extrication tools or monstrous ladders, and compressors jam a bunch of breathable air into a tiny cylinder. See . . . you love amplifiers!
Navigating the world of protocol is complex and, at times, frustrating and confusing. Since my article "Protocol and proper dress" appeared in the June 2013 issue of Fire Fighting in Canada, I have received countless emails, letters and phone calls from fire personnel across Canada. Most of the questions are similar in nature; some ask for clarification on uniform standards, some seek advice on proper protocol for parades and functions, and some ask for specific insight on the wearing of orders, decorations and medals.
Mississauga firefighter Jodine Hough has a soft, calm voice – a trait that likely makes her an asset in her role as a peer team member. She described that role with humility.
A new online course offered by the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) teaches building managers and owners how to take a leadership role in fire-safety planning in their buildings.
In the March issue I outlined some of the emotions that firefighters may feel after a critical incident, and some of the signs and symptoms that may be associated with those feelings. The next step is to talk about strategies to increase your emotional resiliency, and how the organization can do the same.
It's spring maintenance time at the fire department. The maintenance list is long. Truck-check sheets and maintenance records should be updated as you go.
Weight reduction was the key factor in Holmatro's development of the new 5000 series of spreaders. By using new materials, component integration and a new design, the new series of spreaders is lighter, without compromising spreading force and distance. Two of the five new devices in the series are available with Greenline battery technology to allow for freedom of movement. Other features on the new series are an ergonomic carrying handle design, upgraded LED lighting in carrying handle, build-in speed valve, and Holmatro's patented CORE technology. Learn more at http://www.holmatro.com/en/
Toronto-based Safety IQ has introduced the Saver emergency breath system, a personal fire-evacuation device that helps a user avoid smoke inhalation in the event of a fire emergency. The Saver device uses a triple-filter technology that filters smoke and toxic chemical substances, including carbon monoxide, to allow a person to breathe clean air for up to five minutes. The small device stores easily and takes about five seconds to activate during a fire emergency. Learn more at http://mysafetyiq.com/
Stop buying fire trucks! There, I said it. There seems to be this idea that buying a fire truck for a community will prevent any and all fire fatalities. There is a tragic flaw in that thinking when it comes to First Nations communities across Canada.
For years, municipalities have complained about the high cost of firefighter salaries and benefits and the arbitration process that awards them.
Fraser Lake Fire Rescue in British Columbia recently attended a chest-pains call. Dispatch identified the complainant over the radio and a number of us recognized the name as that of a local resident. Instead of listening and responding to the civic address given by dispatch, we headed right over to where we knew the local man lived – only to find no one home. After checking back with a very accommodating dispatcher we headed for the correct address, somewhat red faced. Thankfully the patient suffered no ill effects from our folly, and there was a valuable lesson for all of us who attended.
When I was approached to write this column, I thought it would be a great opportunity to discuss my journey to a deputy-chief position, the challenges I faced in attaining the position and those I have experienced in my new role. I hope my columns provide some insight into how a chief officer experiences the transition from a front-line responder to an administrative role.
Social media is rampant with adages and short, insightful sayings about leadership and management. Put the magazine down or minimize the Fire Fighting in Canada website and go to LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter to browse through them for a few minutes. I like most of the adages; they have the tendency to stick in my mind as I reflect upon what the day brings to me – especially as I interact with colleagues and the public. A recent one that stuck with me is: Managers light a fire under people – leaders light a fire within them. I am not sure who coined this phrase, but for me it summarises what managers and leaders should be doing.
After five years of writing our joint leadership column, it's time for us to pass the torch to present and upcoming leaders. We have considered ourselves extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to write together and to pass along our philosophies on leadership in the hopes of encouraging and motivating firefighters (at all levels) across Canada.
Over the years I have written quite a few columns on leadership styles and the benefits of each style. One style that I have always endorsed and tried to embrace is that of servant leadership.
Teaching in the classroom is necessary for passing on knowledge to firefighters. But chances are that some of your firefighters grumble as they enter the room and cringe at the thought of reliving the educational nightmares of their youth, and for good reason.
We can't help but reflect on our careers, the adventures we have enjoyed and how we have been privileged to serve our communities.
Three Breast Friends put one foot in front of the other and set off on an adventure they never expected.
How do we help every member of the fire service educate the public about fire safety?
Earlier this year, the National Geographic channel aired a six-part documentary, titled Inside Combat Rescue.
Being in the fire service seems to imply to others that we are tough and armour plated.
Ontario Fire Marshal Ted Wieclawek outlined to fire chiefs on Tuesday the details of proposed changes to the Ontario Fire Code that focus on fire prevention in homes for seniors and some other vulnerable Ontarians. See story below. Photo by Laura King
It's a little-known fact that on the same day as the Great Chicago Fire there was another huge fire the United States: a fire burned so out of control in Peshtigo, Wis., on Oct. 8, 1871, that 2,500 people died
A strategic partnership has emerged in British Columbia with the intent to reduce fire injuries and fatalities among at-risk populations.
As I wrote this in late November, all thoughts were on the approaching Christmas season and fire departments were focused on holiday safety.
This past summer I watched more of the Olympics than I ever have before.
The number of fires and break-ins in an at-risk neighbourhood in Surrey, B.C., dropped significantly after a one-day education and safety blitz conducted by firefighters and RCMP officers.
I've been intrigued by the story of Hélène Campbell, a double-lung transplant recipient. Campbell, suffering idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, made headlines after appearing on the Ellen DeGeneres show a few months ago.
I've been writing for this publication for more than a year now and my focus has been to get firefighters
Securing and advancing a hoseline using a standpipe system in a building is an important aspect of engine-company operations. Standpipe systems are found in buildings that have multiple storeys or that are very large, such as warehouses or factories.
The Greenwood Fire Department in British Columbia where I am a training officer has come through a major facelift. Department members, along with a group that shares the building, invested hundreds of hours in transforming our hall. The word "our" is important because it shows we have taken ownership. Ownership, whether it's ownership of a building or the department as a whole, is crucial for all members in order to effect positive change.
Wildfires can, and have, happened at any time of the year, but there is something special about the middle of May in northern Alberta. For those involved, the Redwater, Newbrook, Opal or Grassland fires were big deals, but the Slave Lake fire in 2011 made everyone sit up and take notice. While we hope we never have to face a fire that destructive, those other fires tell us that while the impact to Slave Lake was unique, in Alberta we had better be prepared for May wildfires.
One of the more well-known drills in rapid-intervention team (RIT) training is the Denver drill. This drill is very physically demanding as it involves two RIT firefighters working to rescue a downed firefighter in a very small space. The drill was developed in Denver after the death of firefighter Mark Langvardt.
In the January issue of Canadian Firefighter, I wrote about the Dash-Away – an innovative tool designed by a Sundre, Alta., firefighter to help mitigate issues in extrication, particularly in frontal offset collisions. I have since heard from readers asking why frontal offset crashes are so deadly. Most rescuers will have responded to a frontal offset collision. It's important we, as rescuers, understand what the industry is doing to address the danger of these crashes.
You're registered and ready to go to your first firefighter conference – maybe FDIC in Indianapolis this month, one of the training sessions profiled on pages 16 to 19, or your first provincial conference for fire officers. How do you get the most out of three or four days of classroom or hands-on training, enjoy the social opportunities (without overdoing it!) and manage to remember what you've learned?
On April 10, 2013, at about 9 a.m., I stood in the frozen mud at the fire training ground in Peace River, Alta., waiting to be fit tested and watching lead instructors Lance Bushie and Rodney Schmidt prepare for evolutions in fire behiaviour and rollover – many, many evolutions.
Chainsaws used in the fire service for ventilation are much more powerful than the average home-use chainsaw; the engines are bigger, the chains have large, wide teeth that are designed to chew through a range of materials, and the units are larger and heavier overall. Most firefighters rarely use chainsaws, and many are first introduced to these pieces of equipment during courses at entry-level fire academies.
An apparatus driver helps to set the tone of a rescue or fire-ground operation. How the driver positions the apparatus at a scene is crucial to a successful fire-ground operation or motor-vehicle rescue.
My colleague, Tom DeSorcy, wrote in March about public perceptions of leadership positions in volunteer fire departments. I think Tom's analogy of busy fires chiefs who appear calm on the outside but, like ducks, paddle furiously under the surface to keep things running smoothly, was spot on.
You cannot mention the word communication today without a focus on social media. Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (and the list goes on) are playing greater roles in our lives. In the past we relied on mainstream media to report the news and inform us of events. Today everyone with an electronic device is photographer, reporter, complainer, and helper. But the public can be a valued communicator too, especially during an emergency.
There are many tools synonymous with the professions they serve. Think of firefighters and we think of everything from helmets and trucks to ladders and hoses.
Fire departments all have jurisdictions – areas that we cover and in which we provide protective services.
Firefighters strive to provide good customer service: that means treating others the way we would like to be treated – going above and beyond whenever possible and surprising people who don't expect our do-onto-others attitude.
Volunteer firefighters who last a long time in the fire service can certainly gain a vast perspective on many aspects of life.
Social media can be our best friend or our worst enemy. Say the wrong thing, post the wrong picture and you have more than egg on your face.
I have a couple of pet peeves when it comes to the designation of Canadian fire services as professional or volunteer.
As one generation gives way to the next, so does the makeup of our fire departments.
Subscription Centre
Most Popular
Editor's blogAll right. All right. All right. I wasn't going to…
Ontario firefighters to help out in AlbertaOntario is sending in 126 reinforcements to help Alberta deal…
Wasaga crews will still respond to medical calls, says chiefWasaga Beach firefighters will still be responding to medical calls…
Leadership Forum: May 2015When I was approached to write this column, I thought…
Latest Events
NBAFC: annual conferenceFri May 29, 2015
Scott FireFit challengeSat May 30, 2015
OMFPOA annual training and education symposiumSun May 31, 2015
MAFC conference and AGMThu Jun 04, 2015
FDIC Atlantic conferenceFri Jun 05, 2015


text:
Panel quizzed at Addingham Civic Society question time
More than 100 Addingham residents put pressing local issues to an MP, councillors and other key figures at a question time session hosted by Addingham Civic Society.
All the latest news and views from the T&A
Latest business headlines from the T&A
All the latest sport from the T&A
Like us on Facebook
Like us on Facebook
More than 100 Addingham residents put pressing local issues to an MP, councillors and other key figures at a question time session hosted by Addingham Civic Society.
A fundraiser is expecting to face many ups and downs in his quest to raise money for The Alzheimers' Society.
Responses are flooding in to a questionnaire about future plans for Addingham Community Library.
A Wharfedale village will take on three towns and a village in Northern Ireland in its debut bid for national Britain in Bloom glory.
A Yorkshire Water sister company has reduced the height of proposed wind turbines by five metres in its latest bid to replace obsolete turbines.
Controversial plans for three 80-metre high wind turbines at Chelker Reservoir have been scrapped, it has been revealed.
Campaigners have until mid-July to come up with plans to transfer the management of two district libraries to the community.
Addingham Parish Council has selected its chairman and new vice-chairman, but is still looking for new members to fill four seats.
People of all ages turned out to give a village its annual spring clean.
Library users in the Bradford district have been reassured they will be able to reach "similar or better" local lending services despite plans to close five branches.
A spring clean on Saturday, March 26, will help Addingham get ready for the first visit of the Yorkshire in Bloom judges this year.
Silent auction prizes including a weekend in a log cabin and a ride in a sports car will be on offer at an Addingham coffee morning in aid of two charities.
Addingham Parish Council will choose a new chairman next month following the resignation of the previous chairman, Councillor Ian Taylor.
A 14-year-old girl and her mother were held captive by four masked raiders who broke into their home, police have revealed.
Scouts need to come up with plans for their long-awaited new base before Addingham can allocate any money, say councillors.
A mock court case with a festive twist will take place in the district next week.
A historic printing press that may be the only one of its kind still in circulation has been delighting residents in Addingham.
Addingham Civic Society is hoping to elect a new chairman and committee members at its annual meeting on Thursday, November 11.
People opposed to plans for three 80m-high wind turbines are being encouraged to write to an MP about their concerns.
Young Worzel Gummidges are invited to take part in a costume competition at a harvest coffee morning in Addingham on Saturday, October 16.
A fisherman from Addingham who was found dead in the Lake District has been described as a 'loving and caring man'.
A protest group set up to oppose wind turbines has promised to put forward a "robust response" to the latest plans.
The head teacher of Addingham Primary School is supportive of plans to create a replacement for the village Scout hut, councillors have heard.
New and long-term residents of the village of Low Mill on the outskirts of Addingham are being invited to celebrate community spirit at a street party later this month.
Villagers are putting more pressure on highways bosses over speeding drivers.
Plans have been submitted to Bradford Council for a seven-house development on the edge of Addingham.
Councillors have agreed to award the contract for a planned Scout hut and football pavilion in Addingham to a local builder.
Responses are flooding in to a questionnaire about future plans for Addingham Community Library.
A council officer has recommended minor alterations to plans for a new base for Addingham Scouts.
Organisers of a village gala want more households than ever to take part in the annual event.
Crafts and produce stalls could set up shop on a cricket field.
Addingham's new gala queen and her attendants are getting ready for the village gala on July 9.
Mobile library services are due to tour the sites of the five Bradford libraries listed for closure under Bradford Council spending cuts.
Civic guardians have decided to carry out their own consultation exercise over plans for bigger new wind turbines near a reservoir.
Campaigners have been given three months to come up with viable ways to take over the running of five libraries to save them from closure.
Images comparing existing wind turbines at Chelker Reservoir, near Addingham, with the bigger structures proposed are being used in a protest campaign by Addingham Civic Society.
Addingham will get extra grit bins and brighter Christmas lights next winter.
A company planning to build 80-metre high turbines overlooking Chelker Reservoir near Addingham is to analyse the results of a sound monitoring study.
A travelling nativity scene is keeping villagers on the lookout as it appears in a different window every day throughout Advent.
A pre-school group in Addingham is celebrating after moving to a new home.
A Remembrance Sunday walk on the moors above Silsden and Addingham will visit the sites where two wartime aircraft crashed.
Plans to demolish a house in Addingham and build seven three-storey homes are being opposed by village councillors as well as residents.
A fundraising beer festival in aid of a primary school has been deemed 'inappropriate' for a village hall and turned away.
Pupils at Addingham Primary School did not bottle out when it came to helping a water appeal.
A body found in the Lake District is missing fisherman Mark Bryant from Addingham, police confirmed yesterday.
A body found following a full-scale search in the Lake District is believed to be that of a 55-year-old fisherman from Beamsley, near Addingham.
Addingham now has 120 allotments after work was completed on 34 new plots at the Lower Stamp Hill site.
A traditional fell race returned to the Addingham Gala after more than 20 years.
A widow will receive an apology from Bradford Council after they removed a plaque dedicated to her husband without her knowledge.
THE scale of Naz Shah's victory over George Galloway in Bradford West - beating him by more than 11,000 votes - should not mislead people into thinking the next five years will be easy.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Coco Jones is holding a live chat with her fans on February 10, 2013! Here are the details straight from Coco:
Y'all! I'm doing my FIRST EVER live chat this Sun at 1pm pst on Google+! #Holla1MillionViewsCelebration
Exciting! Do YOU plan on tuning in for the chat, and what questions do you have for Coco?


text:
Now that we have the iPad rumors and even behind us, it's time for the tech world to focus on Apple's next mobile phone. The rumors really never died down since the iPhone 4S was launched, but we kind of shifted focus on what Apple would give us in tablet form. Lately we've been hearing some stupid talk about bigger screens, topping out at 4.6″. I find this disgusting and know Apple would follow suit with Android devices and have a huge floppy screen. You can find me saying way before the iPhone 4 was released, that 4″ is as big as Apple should ever go. I still stand by that, not that I need a 4″ display, but I would have a lot of trouble purchasing an iPhone if it was bigger than that.
Well, today iMore has started having some information flow in regarding the new iPhone set to launch this year. iMore is reporting that Apple will most likely keep the current size screen we have on the 4S – at 3.5″. This isn't set in stone, but it isn't likely Apple will go much larger. Along with a similar display size, we will be seeing a reduction in the oh-so-standard 30-pin dock connector. We might be seeing it reduced to a micro-dock size to make some room for some other components inside the device. If this is true, we might be seeing more battery power, or even allow for a complete redesign, possibly the tear drop rumors we've been hearing about for so long.
With the release of the iPad, we finally see 4G LTE compatibility in Apple devices. I would be shocked to see Apple not include this in the next generation iPhone. It would make sense to see a smaller dock connector in the device, allowing for the 4G LTE Radio and possibly a bigger battery to support the bump in cellular speed.
Rumors are putting the next gen iPhone in our hands sometime this Fall, most likely in October. This would be a year after we saw the iPhone 4S, so that isn't too far fetched either. Apple is also rumored to be announcing iOS 6 at this year's WWDC in June.
Other than LTE, are there any features you are really looking forward to or want Apple to include?
Source: iMore


text:
Max Cacas and Sen. Grassley
Click to hear the story
Jump to main content.
When an administration changes hands, a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make that transition as smooth as possible. Federal News Radio examines what's involved and how the transition unfolds.
Monday - 2/16/2009, 7:27pm EST
Click to hear the story
The first inauguration Sen. Chuck Grassley observed was the transition from President Gerald Ford's administration to President Jimmy Carter's in 1977. In a previous edition of Tracking the Transition, FNR's Max Cacas talked with veteran lawmaker Sen. Chuck Grassley about the roles of House and Senate members in the presidential transition.


text:
Charity Stretch Credit - Is it really necessary?It's becoming more common for the charitable sector work together around critical issues. The sector came together around the question of accountability and audits, specifically with regards to the Better
How much is enough? The Butterfly Effect of givingThe Butterfly Effect - A single dollar making a world of difference How much is enough to be a strategic philanthropist? Do you need thousands of dollars to make a difference? Can impact only be measured
A New Kind of Charity Tax CreditIt is coming to the end of the year, and for some people this is the time that they start to look at their charitable giving. It is also the time that people start reviewing their personal taxes and see opportunities for tax credits and deductions.
Show me the money... How Place2Give is Allocating undesignated donations to #ABFloodOn the Dexterity Consulting blog I am sharing the conversation I am having with Red Cross Canada around how they are allocating their funds. In an effort to be accountable to our donors through the Place2Give
Going to a mall? No – gift giving goes digital in 2012For the past several years technologists, and to an extent retailers, have been talking about gift giving going digital. There of course are the early adopters who have been doing the majority of their
Measuring PerformanceFollowing up on a post a few weeks ago on the Industrialization of Philanthropy I want to explore how we evaluate charities, and more importantly what does "good performance" in the charitable sector look like.
Making Monday better with holiday spiritGive from thy heart, not thy wallet. Gabrielle Bernstein, motivational speaker, life coach and author, suggests holiday gift-giving tips that cost little, but give so much.


text:
What's New?
Thursday, August 07, 2014
Time To Register For St. Stephen's Course!
Archdeacon Peter Boulukos is the Registrar for the St. Stephen's Course of Studies. Learn how you can get your degree in Orthodox studies by working at home. Registration closes on September 30. Call 201-569-0095 for more information.


text:
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR? We'll continue our search for good dividend companies this week. Today, let's take a look at the S&P/TSX Canadian dividend aristocrats index.
MORE ABOUT TODAY'S SCREEN S&P defines a Canadian dividend aristocrat as a company or trust that has increased cash dividends for at least five years.
The security must be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and have a minimum market capitalization of $300-million. The index is rebalanced once a year in December. The index is weighted by indicated dividend yield and no stock may be weighted greater than 8 per cent of the index and no trust more than 5 per cent. The Claymore S&P/TSX Canadian Dividend ETF is designed to track this index.
The index currently has 56 members. We'll sort the list today by highest yield.
WHAT DID WE FIND? Canadian banks and insurance companies used to be the foundation of consistent dividend growth in the country, but this has clearly changed in the past couple of years. Among the large-cap financial names in the country, only the Power Corp. family of financial services companies, Toronto-Dominion Bank and Bank of Nova Scotia still qualify for this index.
That said, there is still a reasonable selection of stocks and trusts that offer consistent payout growth in the country. Almost half of the index has a yield of more than 3 per cent now.
Keep in mind that it can be dangerous to decide to buy a stock or trust because it has a high yield, even if the company has raised payouts consistently in recent history. A high yield can often mean the market believes the payout is about to be cut. More research is definitely required.


text:
Fox affiliates appear fully supportive of their parent network's strategy for fighting streaming startup Aereo, including the possibility that the network could become a pay channel if it loses the battle, according to those who attended the affiliates meeting at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. Should Fox go the pay-channel route, it would still operate under an affiliate system, the network said.
View Full Article in:Broadcasting & Cable
Published in Brief:


text:
I can't say enough good about this hotel. It is a solid 4 star and maybe a little better. It was...
See full review
I can't say enough good about this hotel. It is a solid 4 star and maybe a little better. It was...
Customers who viewed Best Western Hotel Bahnhof also booked these hotels.
Rates quoted in currencies other than the hotel's base currency are subject to the rate of the international exchange. Rate may change throughout stay. Rate may reflect average nightly rate. Extra charges may apply. Incidental charges, such as room service, are not included in the rate.
The amenities and/or facilities may not be located at the hotel, but within a reasonable distance, and additional charges may apply for use. All information has been provided by this hotel and not by Orbitz
Overall score
Reviewer score
Would recommend
Great Hotel
I can't say enough good about this hotel. It is a solid 4 star and maybe a little better. It was recently gutted and renovated. It was a great location across from the train station. The entire hotel is bright and modern looking. The breakfast is
more than adequate (scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, breads, cereals, fruits, juices, and coffees) and is included in the price. Our room was not on the street adjacent to the train station and was very quiet. I don't know what the rooms on the street are like. The room is larger than most hotel rooms and is very well designed. The included WiFi is fast and dependable. The room is very well lighted and has two windows looking out to a court yard. The bed was comfortable but the pillows supplied were too big for us. Not to worry though. They have six other pillows types available as described in the hotel manual. We ordered two replacements and they were there within 5 minutes. The bathroom is large and very well designed with lots of counter space. The shower is a large walk-in shower that can accommodate a tall person. Note: the soap is from a dispenser but it is a squeeze dispenser and not a pump so it worked well. A small thing but something notable: the toilet paper is like Charmin Ultra Strong; a very good quality. The fitness center is top quality for a hotel. All the machines are new Life Fitness machines (two upper body weight machines ((one converts from bench press to military press)), one lower body weight machine, very nice dumb bells up to 45 pounds, a rowing machine, a recumbent bike, an upright bike, an elliptical machine, and a running machine). They also have a cable pull device that will work most of your body but it would take some time to figure out if you are not familiar with it. Other than breakfast it does not have a restaurant but there are so many good restaurants in this town who cares.
Orbitz guards your privacy and security. We're certified by TRUSTe and Verisign.© 2001 - 2015, Orbitz, LLC. All rights reserved.CST 2063530-50; Hawaii TAR-6881; Iowa 644; Washington 602-108-724