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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFD-11-95 THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLNRINGTON 3P,-JV(VVA: REPORT GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Meeting: Filo Date: JUNE 19,1995 Res. #121-Y-) - 993- � By-Law# Report#:__ED_-1_1_-q5_ File#: 2.6 Subject: HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SPILLS Recommendations: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1.) THAT Report FD-11-95 be received; and 2.) THAT Letter of Agreement, (Attachment A), be forwarded to Certa. 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 Every day there are thousands of trucks that travel up and down Highway 401 through our municipality with various hazardous materials being transported on these trucks. Despite stringent policies and procedures, careful handling, and the best efforts of all involved, spills happen. Equipment failure, accidents on highways, railways or waterways, and human error - any number of these factors may combine to create a hazardous material spill accident. 1.2 If the fire department is faced with a large enough spill in our municipality, it will require the calling in of additional resources to help us at the scene. This is due to the fact that our firefighters are only trained to the awareness level. This is the basic level which provides firefighters with the basic defensive knowledge necessary to safely and effectively manage the initial activities involving hazardous material incidents. Their training stresses basic awareness of the problems that chemicals can pose to first responders, how to recognize when they might be present at an incident and how to identify them by chemical name. The firefighters are also taught the steps in notifying the proper authorities of the release, and how to use the Emergency Response Guide to assess basic hazards. Their main function is to identify the product, contain the release from a safe distance, keep it from spreading, and prevent exposures. Continued..... FD-11-95 - 2 - 1.3 2 -1.3 It is only recently that the Fire Marshal's Office has delivered the curriculum on the next level of training which is the operational level. Although we have all the necessary equipment to handle a haz mat spill, we still lack some additional training that would allow us to safely use the encapsulated suits. Within the next six to eight months the necessary training to obtain this operational level will be accomplished. 2. REPORT 2.1 On March 7, representatives from fire departments across Durham Region gathered at the Ken Hooper Memorial Fire Hall in Bowmanville for a presentation by a Hazardous Material Response team called Certa Emergency Services. This company has an extensive range of personal protective, containment, and recovery equipment for all emergency and spill response needs. This company is presently rendering their services to other fire departments such as Hamilton, Oakville, Markham, Scarborough, and Oshawa, to name a few. Certa has their main office in Burlington, however they have emergency responders in Pickering on a 24 hr basis with their equipment located in Oshawa. All CERTA personnel are highly qualified to NFPA 472 level. 2.2 The Deputy Fire Chief spoke to the Chief Administrative Officer and Nicholas Macos from Shibley, Righton, Barristers and Solicitors, to see if a letter of agreement could be drafted up, (Attachment A), whereby Certa would provide hazardous material response services to Clarington Fire Department if called. This agreement would also ensure that Certa would respond to a haz mat situation and conduct any necessary environmental services if required. 2.3 The letter clearly states that the municipality will not be held responsible for any fees incurred. Any contracting relationship will be strictly between the offending party and CERTA. It also clearly states that the Municipality of Clarington will be held harmless from any and all claims, demands, actions, injuries or damages resulting from Certa while responding or failing to respond to a spill or other hazardous material event within our jurisdiction. 2.4 Some day their will be a hazardous material spill on Highway 401 and we will j probably have to call in an outside agency to help assist us. By making arrangements with Certa now, we can rest assured that when a spill occurs we will get assistance from Certa and handle the situation at hand safely and promptly. Continued..... FD-11-95 - 3 - The 3 -The fire department will benefit by having an agreement in place that will provide for additional equipment and expertise. Based on the above, it is concluded that an agreement should be entered into with Certa Emergency Services. 3. RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 It is respectfully recommended that report FD-11-95 be received for information; and 3.2 That the Letter of Agreement be forwarded to Certa. Respectfully submitted, Reviewed by .fg ;. C Michael G. Creigh on, AMCT(A), CMM1 W. H. Stockwell, Fire Chief. Chief Administrative Officer. BH/sr Encl. (1) June 9, 1995 896 MUNICIPALITY OF arinlon _g_ ONTARIO ATTACHMENT A June 9, 1995 Certa Emergency Services, 3350 Fairview Street, Suite 3 - 165, Burlington, Ontario L7N 31-5 Attention: Mr. John Hosty, President Dear Sir: This letter will serve notice that it is the intention of the Clarington Fire Department to inform CERTA in the event of a spill or other Hazardous Material event. Based on your undertaking to promptly respond, demonstrated capabilities and extensive equipment in stock, we feel the utilization of your services would best suit our present needs. We understand that at no time will the Municipality of Clarington be held responsible for call in fees or costs incurred. Any contracting relationship will be strictly between the offending party and CERTA. At any time should the offending party not be known, or should the offending party not pay for the incurring costs, the Municipality of Clarington shall not be liable for any costs associated with the clean up. For further clarification CERTA shall not be an agent of the municipality. This arrangement is subject to cancellation at any time upon seven days written notice, and in the event that CERTA is not available to respond to our emergency, the municipality reserves the right to call in another contractor of their choice. It is also understood that CERTA Emergency Services Inc. and CERTA Inc. will hold the Municipality of Clarington harmless from any and all claims, demands, actions, injuries or damages resulting from your company incurred responding or failing to respond to a spill or other hazardous material event within our jurisdiction. i I i Continued......... I 10 1 (:MPP kANCI SY111_t_1 11 W[A N V I I LF -0N 1 A H I I.IG 3 A 6 (')05) E12:9-3319 � FAX 62:3-41619 aecvr,i_cuPAN 11 Mr. J. Hosty - 2 - Finally, 2 -Finally, the only people from Clarington Fire Department that will have the authority to call CERTA will be the Chief or Deputy Chief. So that we have a clear understanding that the Municipality of Clarington will not be responsible for any costs incurred in the utilization of your services in the future, kindly acknowledge the terms of this letter by executing the acknowledgement on one copy and returning it to me. Yours truly, Bill Hesson, Deputy Chief. The terms of this letter are hereby acknowledged and agreed to. This day of , 1995. CERTA Emergency Services. Per: Name: Title: CERTA Inc. Per: Name: Title: I