Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (AOH&S) re-inspected Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority (BRFA) fire departments and found all 15 orders from a December inspection to have been complied with.
“It is not 100 per cent done, but we have a plan in place that is acceptable to Occupational Health and Safety to have it done in a time frame that is acceptable to Occupational Health and Safety,” said BRFA regional fire chief Brian McEvoy.
McEvoy said AOH&S approved the fit testing order because the BRFA has a plan and schedule in place to have its firefighters fit-tested.
AOH&S also approved flow testing because the BRFA had a contract with a supplier and has since completed it, he said.
Flow testing measures a self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to ensure it meets factory settings. The SCBAs will need to be flow tested again in two years, and the BRFA will tender it closer to the date because there are few mobile flow testing services, McEvoy explained.
The BRFA has also put air testing on a regular schedule with a company from Edmonton.
The BRFA has inspected all the bunker gear and created a protective clothing inspection maintenance program, as per one of the AOH&S orders, he said.
“Occupational Health and Safety has looked at our program, looked at our plan for doing this and they are satisfied that the level of safety and the level of protective clothing is adequate for the job,” said McEvoy.
The BRFA is repairing any gear that is economically repairable under manufacturer's guidelines, from fraying to replacing suspenders, he said. Any gear that is not economical to repair is being removed from service.
The BRFA is spending $20,000 for 16 new sets of protective clothing. The BRFA is sizing firefighters with sizing gear to order the sets. Sets in stock take four to eight weeks to deliver, while custom made sets required for some of the larger firefighters can take three months to receive, he said.
Eight of these sets will go to the Bonnyville Fire Department, while the other eight sets will go to other stations within the BRFA that need them, he said.
In late September and early October, the BRFA increased its protective clothing budget to double the number of clothing sets it has been able to buy the last few years, said McEvoy.
The BRFA has also bought and received 19 used sets of protective clothing from Calgary to increase its inventory, while other suits are cycled out for repair, he said.
“That was to give us a buffer,” he said. “When we have to take gear out of service for repair, we need something for the guys to wear so they can still fight fires.”
The AOH&S re-inspection document is available online at the MD of Bonnyville or Town of Bonnyville's website.
“We have addressed every issue that Occupational Health and Safety has brought and we are looking to move forward and continue to provide fire protection to the community,” said McEvoy.
