Are Canadian museums vulnerable to fire?
After a devastating fire destroyed Brazil’s National Museum Canadian museums are evaluating their emergency preparedness.
Ford F-150s recalled due to seatbelt fire risk
Two million Ford F-150 pickups, including 340,000 in Canada, have been recalled due to a problem with the seatbelt pretensioners. Some pretensioners can generate excessive sparks when they deploy. There have been seventeen reports of smoke or fire in the U.S. and six in Canada.
When to evacuate residents during a wildfire
A researcher at South Dakota State University has used fire spread modeling in conjunction with traffic simulation modeling to help emergency managers make decisions around evacuating residents during a wildfire.
Acid leak on highway leads to multiple insurance claims
An incident involving two transport trucks leaking sulphuric acid on the main highway through Trail, BC has lead to 2,500 insurance claims for vehicle damage. Among the vehicles damaged were the city’s year-old fire truck and a fire command vehicle.
Regina considers new fees under its fire bylaw
In an effort to improve public safety and align with provincial legislation and the National Fire Code the City of Regina is considering introducing new fees, including charging for false fire alarms, facility inspections and permits for open-air fires and selling fireworks. The fees would also allow the fire department to recover some of its costs.
June in fire history – Air Canada Flight 797
On June 2, 1983 Air Canada Flight 797 travelling from Dallas/Fort Worth to Montreal developed an in-flight fire behind the lavatory that forced the aircraft to divert to Cincinnati for an emergency landing. Twenty-three passengers died in the incident, which became a watershed for changes in global aviation regulations.
Forecasters predict hot dry conditions in western Canada this summer
The Canadian Wildland Fire Information System is predicting hot, dry weather across a large swath of Western Canada for the summer of 2018.
Tom Cartwright named Ontario fire chief of the year
Tom Cartwright of Port Colborne, Ontario has been named Ontario Fire Chief of the Year. Since a tragic multiple death fire in 2016 Chief Colborne has been an advocate for the need for fire departments to take a more proactive approach to fire safety and prevention.
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Review of BC’s 2017 wildfires calls for overhaul of disaster response practices
The results of an independent review of British Columbia’s response to 2017’s wildfires and floods have been published. The report, entitled “Addressing the New Normal: 21st Century Disaster Management in B.C.” highlights the gap between spending on response versus mitigating the potential impact of disasters.
Cities struggle to establish battery safety standards
Cities are struggling to establish safety standards for lithium-ion batteries even as their uses continue to expand. City planners are concerned about power storage units in basements and on rooftops.