HomeMy WebLinkAboutFD-1-92 TOWN OF NEWCASTLE
REPORT File #
Res.
By-Law #
MEETING: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
DATE: JANUARY 20, 1992 .
REPORT #: FD 1-92 FILE #: 10 . 12 . 6
SUBJECT: 1991 FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT
RECOMMENDATIONS:
i
It is respectfully recommended,
THAT Report FD 1-92 be received for information.
1. BACKGROUND
1. 1 The Town of Newcastle Fire Department responds to a variety
of calls over the period of a year. These calls may involve
problems as simple as a burning complaint or a child locked
in a bathroom, to problems as serious as a major structure
fire or hazardous materials spill .
1. 2 To provide some insight, this section will describe the more
common types of responses and later provide a breakdown of the
actual numbers of responses .
1. 3 The most common responses, which the Town of Newcastle Fire
Department is called upon to attend, are such things as
structure fires, motor vehicle fires or accidents, grass
fires, rubbish fires or burning complaints, medical
emergencies and chimney fires . These account for the majority
of responses .
1 .4 Other types of calls, which we may be required to attend,
could deal with issues from minor rescues, or fuel spills to
hydro wires down or transformer fires .
Continued. . . . .
801
FD 1-92, Cont'd. - 2 -
1 .5 The causes of the various types of fires must be determined
by the Fire Department. At present, the Fire Chief has this
responsibility, since he is the only member of the department,
who has completed courses in Fire Crime Detection and Fire
Investigation. The Department is in the process of certifying
other members .
2. COMMENTS
2 . 1 In 1991 the Town of Newcastle Fire Department answered 1076
calls for assistance. These ranged from check calls, which
may involve investigating unknown odours to smoke from an
unknown source, to major structure fires, including houses,
barns or industrial/commercial structures .
2 .2 The total dollar loss as a result of fire in 1991 was
$2,283,930, which is made up of $2, 171,880 for structure
fires and $112,050 in vehicle fires .
The $1,000,000 fire loss at the Cliffcrest Cleaners Fire,
which occurred on July 15, 1991, is included in the total
dollar loss .
Intentional fires (arson fires) have accounted for
approximately $593,850 or 27% of the total losses due to
structure fires .
2 . 3 Medical assists and 9 . 1 . 1. unknown type calls accounted for
approximately 12 .5% of all calls . This may include calls from
the ambulance dealing with serious medical problems, such as
heart attacks, to less important calls, such as assisting an
ambulance crew with a minor injury. The 9 . 1 . 1 . unknown calls
are calls received by the Central Emergency Receiving Bureau,
where people request help and do not specify their need or
perhaps the caller hangs up. This results in a "tiered
response" , meaning all three emergency agencies respond
(police, fire, ambulance) . On occasion, we are called and not
required, which causes some concern, however, on other
occasions we are able to save a life. One such occasion was
October 11, 1991, when the crew from Station #4, Courtice
arrived at a medical call to find a patient with no vital
signs . They began C.P.R. , prior to the ambulance arriving and
by the time the ambulance left for the hospital the patient
was responsive.
2 .4 Consequently, these matters are being reviewed in greater
detail and it would be appropriate for all facets of the
level of service to be discussed at a later time. Also, a
more detailed review of the aspects of the number of calls
related to burning complaints is being undertaken to reduce
any unnecessary financial burden to the Town.
Continued. . . . . .
802
FD1-92, Cont'd. - 3 -
2 .5 The breakdown of Fire Department responses is as follows:
Type of Call Number of Calls Percentage
Automatic Alarms 174 16 .2%
Medical Assists 135 12 .5%
Burning Complaints 129 12 .2%
Structure Fires 120 11 .2%
Motor Vehicle Accidents 110 10 .2%
Vehicle Fires 78 7 .2%
Grass Fires 73 6 .9%
Check Calls 61 5 . 6%
Rubbish Fires 58 5 .2%
Chimney Fires 46 4 .2%
Hydro Wires/Transformers 31 2 . 9% '
Hazardous Material/Gas Spills 22 2 . 1%
All others 39 3 . 6%
(Including barbecue fires, false
alarms, natural gas leaks and Mutual Aid Calls {calls to
assist another department}-(2) )
2 . 6 The goals of the Fire Department in 1992 are to increase
public education, which will be aided by the introduction of
the "Fire Safety House" , to attempt to reduce the number of
unnecessary calls, which leads to unnecessary expense to the
Town, and most important to provide an emergency service to
the citizens of the Town of Newcastle that is second to none.
This can be accomplished through training and education being
provided at a high level to all members .
2 .7 The Fire Department will also be providing Council with
monthly reports through the General Purpose and Administration
Committee. These reports will be provided at the second
meeting of the month to allow for all statistics to be
available. The Department will also be informing Council of
any major occupancies, by way of memo, immediately following
the occurrence.
3. RECOMMENDATION
3 . 1 It is respectfully recommended that Report FD1-92 be received
for information.
Respectfully submitted, Recommended for presentation
to Committee
Michael G. Creighton, AMCT(A) ,CMM Ilawrencd1t. Kotseff,
Fire Chief. Chief nstration Officer.
803