2019 Annual Report

City of Chilliwack 48 Provide a Safe Community Provide the community with effective fire and life safety education to prevent and reduce the loss of life and property. Provide fire safety and emergency preparedness education to businesses, community groups and the public. Revise the existing community risk assessment (CRA) and continue to develop community risk reduction programs (CRR). Delivered 71 fire safety and emergency preparedness education sessions to over 2,315 persons, including education for school children, seniors, community groups, local businesses, First Nations and gated communities. Fire Department continues to deliver our new Home Safe Fire Prevention Program. Fire Department staff replaced 25 smoke alarms. Community Risk Reduction (CRR) programs continue to be developed including our Community Risk Assessment (CRA) that is being updated and revised and is 60% complete. Increase fire and life safety in multi-family residential buildings and gated communities. Continue to work with building owners to upgrade their fire and life safety protection in older apartment buildings. 107 multi-family residential buildings are currently on our fire and life safety upgrade program with 69 (64%) of the upgrades completed. Plan for the response and recovery of the City and community in times of disaster. Work with First Nations to integrate emergency plans. Complete individual City department business continuity plans and attach to City's response and recovery plan. Researched and reviewed business continuity planning methodology and employee engagement best practices. A facilitated business continuity plan project will commence in 2020. Participated with EMBC and one (1) First Nation on a review of the joint response to the 2018 Fraser River freshet event. Engaged six (6) First Nations on integrated response and recovery planning. Participated in emergency operations centre (EOC) training exercises with two (2) First Nations. Develop a sustainable and comprehensive emergency management training program. Exercise the City's Emergency Preparedness (EP) Plan. Delivered two (2) emergency operations centre (EOC) exercises focused on wildfire response, public messaging and evacuation planning. Completed three (3) section specific training sessions for each EOC function. Several staff completed emergency management training courses in planning, information officer, finance, operations and emergency operations centre essentials from the JIBC. Increase the number of on- duty firefighters to reduce response times and provide safe and effective firefighting operations. Increase staffing levels to 4 firefighters on both Engines 1 and 4 on a 24/7/365 basis. Two (2) "flex" firefighters were hired in 2019. The staff increase provided an "in-service" time for Engine 4 (Sardis) of 99% and will provide for a safer and more effective and faster response to incidents south of the freeway. Increase the quality and quantity of firefighter training, education and preparedness. Expand training programs to include leadership and health and wellness education for all career and paid-on-call firefighters. Deliver the Resilient Minds mental wellness program to all fire department members. Continue to work on the fire training centre site. Meet or exceed the competency requirements outlined in the BC Fire Service Minimum Training Standards Playbook. Continue to develop in-house instructors and increased the use of contract trainers. Ten (10) POC firefighters completed the Emergency Scene Management training program and twelve (12) career firefighters completed the Fire Officer 1 and 2 programs. Eight (8) firefighters completed the Resilient Minds train-the-trainer mental wellness program and will be delivering this program to all fire department members. On-site work continues on the fire training centre, located west of Townsend Park, with 2 new structures and various firefighting props constructed on the site. Continue to adopt and implement best practices and industry standards for firefighter training. Continue to implement competency requirements outlined in the BC Fire Service Minimum Training Standards Playbook. Support RCMP initiatives regarding drugs and drug- related crime. Health & Safety Team (Fire, Bylaw and RCMP) work together to close and clean up residential properties. Bylaw tickets issued. In 2018, the Health & Safety Inspection Team (RCMP, Bylaw, Fire Department & Technical Safety BC) shut down 8 controlled substance and marijuana grow operations, conducted 1 medicinal grow operation inspection and conducted 58 health and safety inspections. 2019-to-date, the Team has shut down 8 controlled substance and marijuana grow operations and conducted 59 health and safety inspections.