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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The former fire chief of Renfrew, Ontario has vowed to fight what he considers to be an illegal termination of his employment. Guy Longtin was terminated when his position was included in a mandatory retirement policy for firefighters.
From May 14 to 16, 2011 a huge wildfire pushed by 100 km per hour winds burned through the town of Slave Lake, Alberta forcing the complete evacuation of the town and surrounding area and causing roughly $750 million in insurable damage.
Montreal’s fire service, currently overwhelmingly white and male, has plans to double the number of women and visible minorities on the front lines within three years and to triple those numbers in seven years.
A state court has ruled an insurance company must cover a fire truck manufacturer against claims from firefighters who say sirens on the manufacturer’s trucks have caused hearing loss.