Formal Partnership and Co-Operation Between

the Toronto Fire Services and the Lancashire Fire

and Rescue Service, United Kingdom

The Emergency and Protective Services Committee recommends the adoption of the following report (February 8, 1999) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services:

Purpose:

To form a close formal working relationship between the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and the Toronto Fire Services. This proposal is to include exchange visits of Fire Services personnel and, where appropriate, Members of Council.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

The Toronto Fire Services budget to cover travel costs for Toronto Fire Services staff to participate in reciprocal visits. We will explore potential for billeting arrangements to minimize expenses.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that this proposal be considered and that the Fire Chief be authorized to negotiate a partnership arrangement with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Services which will include closer future contacts and, where opportunities exist, staff reciprocal visits.

Council Reference/Background/History:

In 1996, T/Assistant Chief Officer O'Neill of the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service visited Toronto and North York while taking part in the International Research Project element of his Brigade Command Course and a liaison with the Toronto Fire Services commenced. This liaison has strengthened in the interim period and since that first visit Senior Divisional Officer Richardson, of Lancashire, has also visited Toronto to conduct research for his 1998 Brigade Command Course Project.

These visits served to underline the usefulness of international contact between Fire Services. The Chief Fire Officer of Lancashire continued to encourage this liaison and this culminated in the attendance of Fire Chief Alan Speed at the 1998 Glasgow Conference of the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association (CACFOA) where Chief Speed delivered a paper on the experiences of amalgamating six separate Municipal Fire Departments into a unified fire service, for the new City of Toronto. This visit was paid for by the conference organizers. During the conference, the Chairman was introduced to Chief Speed and it is possible that further international contacts will flow from this meeting.

Following the visit to the CACFOA conference Chief Speed visited Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service for three busy days witnessing all aspects of their service. It became very evident that tremendous potential exists for the benefit of both organizations by formulating an agreement of co-operation and information sharing.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

Some benefits identified by the Chief Fire Officer of Lancashire and the Toronto Fire Chief are the exchange of professional and technical information, also the comparison of strategies, policies, systems and equipment leading to shared information and ideas with the added benefits of "international bench marking". Also, the discussion of opportunities and challenges for each organization, from different perspectives and mutual provision of solutions to problems that either organization has had previous experience of. Other benefits include joint training opportunities, possible staff exchange programs, joint events and contacts for elected officials and further commercial opportunities for the international training of Fire Services personnel.

Conclusions:

There are many positive elements to these liaisons and it is proposed that a more formal relationship be formed between the Toronto Fire Services and the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service to capture many of the benefits and advantages identified above.

The Chief Fire Officer of the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service is keen to formalize such a relationship and is in the process of securing approval from his elected officials.

Experience has shown the value of such international partnerships, for example the UK/US Chief Fire Officers Forum is now well established, but no such link has been formed between Canada and the U.K.. In advancing this proposal, Toronto will be "pioneering" by forming this Fire Services related partnership between a U.K. and Canadian Fire Service.

Contact Name:

Alan Speed

Tel: 397-4300/Fax: 397-4325