Never too Late to improve....Fire Department Makes Changes In Wake Of Deadly Blaze
September 17, 2007
- In anticipation of a provincial report into a fire that killed two firefighters last winter, Winnipeg's fire department says it's already made changes to improve firefighter safety. Captains Tom Nichols and Harold Lessard died and four other firefighters were injured in February when they were trapped on the second floor of a burning Winnipeg home and then hit by a flashover, a huge fireball that reached thousands of degrees Celsius in seconds.
At the time of the deadly fire, the department insisted it had done everything by the book. But now the department admits there were problems in the way the fire was fought.
Deputy Chief Ken Sim said the department has learned two key lessons: training could be improved for certain types of fires, and the communication among firefighters at the scene could be "significantly better."
To address the first problem, the department has introduced a flashover simulator, which allows firefighters to practice battling certain types of fires.
The problems with communication among firefighters at the scene came to light after an investigation by the department's fire safety committee, Sim said. As a result, the department has already made changes.
Written by CBC News
Courtesy of CBC - Read Full Story
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