Communicator

To receive your no obligation quote visit kabelschlepp.ca Just what you'd expect from KabelSchlepp. Plastic • Hybrid • Tube • 3D Line • Steel We see the whole picture. Not every application can be solved with plastic cable carriers! Whatever the application, we have a solution. Presenting plastic and steel cable and hose carriers populated with continuous bending high fl ex cables from Kabelschlepp. Cable and hose carriers are the lifeblood and backbone of countless modern machinery. Based on their importance, it only makes sense to trust the industry leader. One supplier, one quick lead time, guaranteed quality. It doesn't get easier than that! TSU 089 KabelSchlepp MagazineAd_FNL.indd 1 2016-04-13 11:27 AM 26 COMMUNICATOR well-equipped firefighters to protect them – not only when massive disasters strike, but also every day in towns and cities across Canada. Ken Block, president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) and head of Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, says that while the true strength of Canada's fire ser- vices are its people, they are increasingly challenged by the severity of natural disas- ters like the Fort McMurray fire. "With cli- mate change, we are seeing many different types of natural disasters like flooding, wind-driven events and wildfires," says Block. "They all come with unique challen- ges, which is why groups like the Heavy Urban Search and Rescue teams the federal government pays for are becoming increas- ingly more important." But having the right people in place is just one part of coping with disasters. It starts with emergency planning and adequate funding, and that's where Block believes Canada could do a better job. "Our fire services are very dependent on sustainable funding, and much of that comes from the municipal tax base," he says. "Municipal officials need to appreciate the level of risk, from a fire and rescue perspec- tive, that exists in their community. What's the probability of a certain type of event occurring, what are the consequences and how do we mitigate them?" Block points out that there's no lack of research and information on how to prepare. "We know what the appropriate staffing lev- els are, and the appropriate response times, and we know what type of equipment we need to mitigate the risks associated with this probability consequence scenario," he adds. "It's a matter of elected officials having the awareness and commitment to support the fire services effectively. That's what wor- ries me. That level of understanding among the people making the funding decisions is, in many cases, underappreciated." The Lac-Mégantic tragedy in 2013 – when a freight train loaded with crude oil derailed and exploded in the centre of town, killing 47 people – provided awareness and under- standing after the fact of the importance of being prepared for disaster. "There were certainly learnings for the fire service, but the majority of lessons were for the rail industry and legislators," says Block. "There was a deep dive on what went wrong, and that led to some significant changes in rail car specifications and disaster planning. Every rail company must now have an emer- gency response action plan, and share it with the municipality that the dangerous cargo is being transported through and work with that municipality on emergency planning. That was a big gap that was identified after Lac-Mégantic." But Block believes more needs to be done on a broader scale. He'd like to see Canada establish a national organization similar to the U.S. Fire Administration, which provides national leadership to foster a solid founda- tion for the country's fire and emergency services stakeholders in prevention, pre- paredness and response. "Canada is the only G8 country that doesn't have an office like that," he says. "On a national level, it's really difficult to establish F E AT U R E

• Cover