FCM offers unique learning, best practice opportunities

About 2000 cities and towns are represented by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities encompassing over 90% of the country’s population. Last weekend, the FCM held its 76th Annual General Meeting in Vancouver. British Columbia  with 2000 local elected officials in attendance from every corner of Canada and beyond.

I had the opportunity to thank Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson for hosting this magnificent conference

I was fortunate to be able to attend on behalf of the City of Cote Saint-Luc and take in four days of learning opportunities including expert conferences, debates, study tours and keynote speakers featuring some of Canada’s key political figures. Equally important was the in between time when mayors and councillors, reeves and aldermen, MLAs and MPs mix between sessions to discuss areas of mutual concern to their common residents.

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau received rock star status with everyone wanting to exchange a word with him, shake his hand and snap a souvenir photo

The urbanism tour was of particular interest. Expert urban development professionals highlighted the importance of offering parks and greenspaces within close proximity of all neighbourhoods. Studies have shown that park and green spaces improve the health of residents. Bike routes and paths played an important role in the urban transportation layout of the city. Fortunately I got to experience the cycling plan first hand on an urban development bike tour.

Hampstead Cllr. Leon Elfassy joins CDN-NDG Cllr. Helen Fotopolous and CSL Cllr. Dida Berku on an urban development bike tour

The urbanists were particularly boastful of the tremendous metamorphosis of the 2010 Olympic Village into a trendy, popular city neighbourhood in close proximity to all amenities.  Community gardens were also within close walking distance which caught the eye of green activist Dida Berku.

Cllr. Dida Berku taking a closer look at what’s growing in the False Creek village community gardens. Similar gardens are coming this summer to Cote Saint-Luc.

The tour of Vancouver’s Emergency Operations Centre was fascinating offering many ideas on how to continuously improve Cote Saint-Luc’s plan and structure to manage disasters, even if on a smaller scale.  The EOC tour provided a unique opportunity to learn techniques and strategies in disaster planning that I will bring to the table as councillor responsible for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

Tree planting ceremony in Stanley Park in honour of the next generation of civic leaders

Pollster Angus Reid pointed out just how important it is to utilize social media if we have any hope of reaching young adults who are typically classified as disinterested in municipal politics and least likely to vote. I am quite proud to be an avid proponent of social media to communicate with residents and anyone interested in matters dealing with CSL. My own tweets, Facebook and blog posts show that I am dedicated to communicating daily and weekly with constituents, young and older.

Saying hello to Calgary Mayor Nahid Nenshi, a champion of communicating with younger voters

One person who I admire and is widely credited with bringing social media to the Canadian political scene is Calgary Mayor Nehid Nenshi.  Nenshi is masterful of finding ways of communicating with his residents through social media and by using interactive technology to make dealing with municipal offices as easy as possible.

Cllr. Ruth Kovac, MP Isabelle Morin, Cllr. Dida Berku, Montreal Cllr. Helen Fotopolous

Tree Canada’s president Mike Rosen hosted us on a fascinating tour of historic Stanley Park. “Trees are much more than greenery on the side of road,” Rosen said. “Trees helps keep communities healthy.”  Vancouver is a model with about 170,000 trees on public property alone.

Beautiful totem poles can be found in Stanley Park

The iconic Stanley Park covers more than 1000 acres and includes forest, ponds and wetlands stretching from the urban centre to the ocean.  I was privileged to participate in a tree planting ceremony sponsored by CN and the City of Vancouver. FCM members looked on as a sapling was planted in for the next generation of Canadian civic leaders. Some trees in the park are more than 1000 years old.

Cllr. Ruth Kovac meets the mayor of Point Fortin, Trinidad and Tobago

I had the special opportunity to meet and speak with elected folks from near and far as international delegates from the Caribbean  Africa and Europe also participated.  One such encounter was with Mayor Clyde Paul of Point Fortin, Trinidad and Tobago.

Green Party leader Elizabeth May packed the house with more than 500 delegates packed into a room that could barely contain them.  She was witty, provocative and challenging, as always.  Her points were very well received as she called for greater protection of the environment, sustainable economic development and greater investment in public transit and social housing.

Federal transport minister Denis Lebel delivered a keynote address committing some $50 billion dollars over a 10 year period to bolster municipal investments in local infrastructure. Such massive investment is made possible due to the clout the FCM carries in gathering so many municipal leaders together to lobby with a common voice.  Locally, these funds helped CSL construct its Aquatic and Community Centre.

Representatives from Cote Saint-Luc, Hampstead and Montreal welcome the new FCM president, Lachine Borough Mayor Claude Dauphin (standing centre)

Beyond the tremendous program was the spirit of national unity of Canadian local elected officials.  With programming offered in both official languages the sense of pride in one’s local community, province and the country was obvious and impressive.  I was proud to join CSL Councillors Dida Berku, Ruth Kovac, Sam Goldbloom, Mitchell Brownstein and Allan Levine in representing our city in our encounters with so many leaders from across Canada. and to bring back new ideas for our community.

Related articles

• Federal minister Denis Lebel says $53 billion fund will help municipalities improve infrastructure (vancouversun.com)

On EP week, thank an emergency responder

Cote Saint-Luc’s finest in orange: volunteer Citizens on Patrol

As Emergency Preparedness Week winds down across Canada I believe it’s important for everyone to take a moment to thank someone involved in emergency services and emergency preparedness, especially those who volunteer their time.  It is because of these fine individuals and their sense of dedication that all of us are safer where we live, play and work each day.

Cote Saint-Luc’s long-serving EMS volunteers being congratulated by City Council

I salute everyone involved in Cote Saint-Luc’s Public Safety Department starting with our volunteers.  These folks who give so much of themselves within EMS and vCOP are terrific in so many ways.  Without salary, they show up for their shifts, rain or shine, heat wave or deep freeze.  They do continuous training and provide extra coverage at special events, all to ensure our safety.  They respond when called upon and are always at the ready.  Thanks so much to all of you.

CSL launches eco-friendly COP Scooter Patrol

Our CSL Public Security agents patrol our streets 24/7.  They are friendly and helpful professionals here to maintain order within our city, to educate our residents and visitors and to help when help is needed. They enforce our bylaws to ensure our neighbourhoods are clean and orderly.  Merci a tous l’équipe pour vos efforts remarcable.

Cote Saint-Luc volunteer Emergency Medical Services honour guard

Our emergency communications staff, also known as dispatchers, must answer all the phone calls and send the right resources, quickly and professionally.  They juggle phones, Urgences Santé and EMS radio systems, computer-aided dispatch screens and more. Thanks to them for keeping calm under pressure and for their polite and helpful interactions with residents.

Public Safety Director Jordy Reichson

Public Safety Chief Jerome Pontbriand

 

Our team is headed by Director Jordy Reichson and Chief Jerome Pontbriand.  Jordy oversees the entire operation of 150 volunteers and some 20 staff members.  He also plans for wide scale emergencies. Jordy deals with residents and partner agencies and plans strategically to keep our city safe.

Jerome works directly with our volunteers in vCOP and EMS.  He helps to bring them ongoing training and improvement to help them meet the challenges of servicing our city. Jerome is a seasoned paramedic who makes sure you get a first responder fast when you need one.

Both Jordy and Jerome are committed emergency professionals, dedicated to the safety and security of all Cote Saint-Lucers as well as those working and visiting here. YOu may even bump into one of them on a 911 call.

EMS Chief Sheldon “Shloime” Goldberg and his team of skilled and dedicated medics are always close at hand, ready to spring into action

So please be sure to salute our emergency responders that are in and around Cote Saint-Luc (and all across our country). In addition to those solely in our city I mentioned above, there are also Montreal police officers and firefighters and CP Rail police.  You’ll occasionally see the RCMP here as well.  And of course there are the paramedics of Urgences Santé, responding to all of our medical 911 calls.  Please thanks them for all they do to keep us safe and secure, for answering our calls, for being ready when we need them most.

Cote Saint-Luc Public Security officer Jean-Noel Champagne

 

Montreal’s emergency services prepare for major disaster

Montreal’s major emergency responders collaborated in 2012 to test their reaction and training to deal with disaster.  This effort, coordinated by the regional health board, highlights the response by ambulance and hospital, primarily, in dealing with a large number of injured and sick patients.

Being Emergency Preparedness Week I figured it’s a good time to be reminded of the preparation that’s underway to safeguard Montrealers.

A visit to the Montreal Emergency Preparedness Centre

L-R: CSL Public Security Chief Jerome Pontbriand, Montreal Fire Department Section Chief Gordon Routley, CSL Cllrs. Glenn J. Nashen and Ruth Kovac, FD Assistant Director Rick Liebman, CSL PS Director Jordy Reichson

As Emergency Preparedness Week is marked across Canada I took part in a site tour of the Montreal Agglomeration Emergency Preparedness Centre located at the Fire Department’s headquarters on Mount Royal.  Housed in a stately, mansion-like structure on sprawling grounds rolling down to Park Ave, the centre is ready, 24/7 in case of a large scale crisis anywhere on the Island of Montreal.

The mission of the Emergency Preparedness Centre (Centre de sécurité Civile) is to ensure the prevention of major accidents and to prepare boroughs, suburban cities  and central city services related to major risks and provide strategic support to the coordination of stakeholders in civil safety during disasters and disaster recovery.

While the website of the Emergency Preparedness Centre is full of information and resources, it is quite absurd that none of this information is available in English.  I was sure to point this out to fire officials on the tour, as I have done in the past.

Another excellent feature launched some months ago by the centre is an emergency notification service, also known as Reverse 911. This service will make outbound calls to thousands of agglomeration residents’ landline phones to signal a large scale emergency, such as warnings to stay indoors in case of chemical explosion, or to evacuate, or to boil water.  You can also manually register your cell phone for SMS and voice notifications.

Inexcusably, the registration page is not available in English however emergency centre officials assured me that the outbound calls are in French as well as in English.

I find it amazing that millions of dollars are well invested in emergency preparedness to save lives and property unless of course you cannot speak or read French, in which case does the city of Montreal really care about you at all?

I attended this otherwise excellent tour and information meeting with Cote Saint-Luc Councillor Ruth Kovac, Public Safety Director Jordy Reichson and Chief Jerome Pontbriand. Hats off to the personnel of the centre in doing fine work to try to keep us all safe.

vCOP takes to two wheels

vCOP members Peter Kovac and Gerry Trager getting ready to patrol on electric bikes

The sun is shining, the roads are dry and members of the city’s all volunteer Citizens on Patrol program are back out patrolling on two wheels.

VCOP patrols are not limited to the four marked patrol vans that can be seen on the road 365 days a year. The fleet also includes two mountain bikes and two electric bikes, all donated, as well as four electric scooters.

Members receive extra training to ensure they are safely cycling and scooting while providing surveillance on the road and in parks.

vCOP forms an integral part of Cote Saint-Luc’s emergency preparedness plan. As this is EP week, be sure to say thanks when you see one of our volunteers scoot, cycle or drive past.

This is Emergency Preparedness Week

Emergency Preparedness Week (EP Week) is an annual event that takes place each year during the first full week of May. This national event is coordinated by Public Safety Canada, in close collaboration with the provinces and territories and partners.

Creating a personal emergency plan for you and your family is a crucial first step.  All information on the Public Safety Canada website is bilingual and very informative.

Run. Hide. Fight. What to do if…

It’s a sad reality that such a video even needs to be produced. Such is the case for the US Department of Homeland Security that funded this piece that was produced by the Houston Texas Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Of course, one never expects to be in the presence of an active shooter.  But given that such events have indeed taken place, albeit far less so in Canada, it’s worthwhile to take a few minutes to watch the video and think about how you would handle such a horrendous and frightful experience.

Lockdowns and simulations for active shooter scenarios have been organized right here at home (in particular at Cote Saint-Luc’s Bialik High School) by Police Station 9 Commander Sylvain Bissonnette in conjunction with local emergency services.

Life-saving defibrillators should be in every public gathering spot

Last week PM Stephen Harper announced the Government of Canada will be investing $10 Million to outfit as many as 3000 arenas with life-saving defibrillators.

“We have the technology and we know that it works,” Harper said. “We know that with minimal training, defibrillators are easy to use. We know that by making these devices more readily available, fast treatment will save lives.”

Automated defibrillator

This is an idea whose time has come.  Cote Saint-Luc has had defibrillators in place in its arena and City Hall / Library complex for more than 10 years and has since added additional units at the outdoor pool, ACC and tennis club.  At a relatively low-cost these easy-to-use defibrillators save lives.  They should be required in every major gathering spot, just as fire extinguishers or first aid kits are.

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, which is working with the government on the program, 40,000 Canadians experience a sudden cardiac arrest each year, and only about five per cent of them survive.

It’s not uncommon for people to suffer heart attacks and strokes in rinks and arenas, many which already have defibrillators installed.

I have personally performed CPR about 125 times during my EMS and Urgences Santé career.  I have personally witnessed that early bystander CPR followed by rapid defibrillation and advanced life support is critical in those precious minutes that invariably mean whether a patient will be revived or not.

With automated defibrillators now sold at the retail level there is no reason they can’t be made more widely available.  Federal funding is a good jumpstart.

 

Training paramedics from Jordan and Israel

14 Jordanians and 40 Israelis finish a groundbreaking three-year bachelor’s course in emergency medicine at an Israeli university.

Training paramedics from Jordan and Israel | ISRAEL21c.

 

vCOP to assist Montreal Fire Department in smoke detector blitz

Members of Cote Saint-Luc volunteer Citizens on Patrol will have the chance to work side by side with the Montreal Fire Department this weekend in a blitz to get all residents to change their smoke detector batteries coinciding with the change to Daylight Savings Time.

vCOP will go door to door speaking to as many residents as possible to remind every one of the importance of keeping their detectors functional year round.

vCOP has assisted CSL Public Security and Montreal Police during its 6 1/2 years of service but this is the first time that it will have the opportunity to directly assist the Fire Department.

While our EMS volunteers used to work closely with our CSL Fire Department that all ended 10 years ago with the forced mergers and the transfer of fire services from CSL to Montreal.

I’m very proud that the services offered by vCOP continues to expand helping to make Cote Saint-Luc the safest community in the region.

When I launched the concept in 2006 I had a goal to recruit 100 volunteers and acquire several vehicles and bicycles to allow these patrollers to circulate at anytime of day or night.  I am so pleased that we have been able to expand our offering in the areas of emergency preparedness, searching for missing persons, distribution of water during service interruption, protecting residents from downed power lines, cables, trees and branches and now with fire safety and prevention.

Hats off to our nearly 100 volunteers and to our team leaders and supervisors.  Their efforts are making a difference in the lives of Cote Saint-Lucers on a daily basis.

If you’ve had any experiences with vCOP and would like to thank them too please click on ‘Leave a Comment’.

Sandy blows into CSL

Hurricane Sandy has been downgraded to a tropical storm and blew into Cote Saint-Luc late Monday night, whipping up leaves and snapping branches.  Environment Canada is forecasting high winds and heavy rain starting tonight until Wednesday.

The City of Cote Saint-Luc will follow established procedures in its Emergency Preparedness Plan. All services are prepared for eventualities that may occur.

Public Works is prepared for tree clearing and removal as well as clearing catch basins as best as possible to allow for rain water to drain.

Engineering monitors the underpasses and water network.  With new pumps in place at the Westminster and Cavendish underpasses heavy downpours have not been a problem.

Residents are advised to take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of their property including tying down or removing loose objects outdoors (e.g. lawn chairs) and ensuring that their own catch basins (e.g. garage and driveway) are clear.

Residents should follow any advisories or alerts issued with local media and to consult http://www.getprepared.ca for more information.

Thankfully, we will not be getting the brunt of this storm that has already caused numerous deaths and damage in the Caribbean and eastern US.  However, here in the Montreal region, power outages are always a possibility with high winds, particularly in neighbourhoods with overhead electrical wires.

 

Siren sounds on Thursday at 10am at railway yards

Siren sounds on Thursday at 10am at railway yards

Don’t jump if you hear the sirens sounding this week on Thursday. World War 3 is not breaking out and you don’t need to head down to the cellar.

CP Rail is conducting an emergency measures exercise to test their emergency plans. Sirens will sound for about 2 minutes. Let your family members and neighbours know so that anxiety levels are kept in check.

And this is a great opportunity to remind you to test your own plans in your homes.

Learn CPR. Classes available in CSL every month.

Learn first aid and have a kit in your house and car.

Have a fire evacuation plan from your home and drill all family members once a year.

Make sure your smoke detectors are functioning properly.

ABC means always be careful. Always be safe.

Urgences Quebec encourages emergency preparedness

Urgence Québec puts emergency information at your fingertips.

Like any territory, Québec is hazard-prone. Find out more about such hazards now so that you know what to do when they occur. In an emergency, obtain accurate status reports. Find out about the measures adopted and the instructions in effect. Well-informed citizens contribute to restoring the situation in their communities.

As a timely suggestion, click here to read up on information specific to earthquakes.

The day after the earth shook

Early Wednesday morning’s 4.5 magnitude earthquake was felt across southern Quebec, and beyond.  Many people I’ve spoken to described the sensation as a truck driving right up their front lawn and into the house.  The tremor and rumbling continued shaking for what considered an awful long time, probably 15 seconds or so.  And then it was quiet, again.  Another night of rest.  A regular morning wake up.

But what if things happened differently?  What if your alarm clock didn’t buzz because there was no power? And your refrigerated food was no longer cold.  What if you had no running water? No phone.  No communications. No heat.

Would you know what to do to handle the unfolding emergency in your own home?

Our experience, for example during the last widespread emergency in the 1998 Ice Storm, indicates that we are too complacent, relying fully on our technology, our authorities and our government.  We do not anticipate what can go wrong and we do not adequately prepare for ourselves.

However, those of us involved in emergency preparedness and crisis management repeat the same mantra that it is not a matter of IF, it is a question of WHEN.

This earthquake is a kind of wake up call (pardon the pun).  It is a reminder that we must always be prepared for the unexpected.  It is also a great coincidence that it happened during National Fire Prevention Week when we are called to test our own emergency plans within our homes, to test our kids in evacuation procedures, to stock non-perishable food supplies, water, first-aid and medication.

72 Hours is an excellent emergency preparedness guide that is essential for every household in Canada.  Download the guide and prepare yourself and your family to manage during the first 3 days of any major emergency.

Prepare an evacuation plan in case of fire in your home and conduct your own fire drill with everyone in your home.  Here’s a useful tool to create a family emergency plan.  Learn how to take care of yourself and your neighbours.

Prevention and preparation are critical keeping you and your family safe.

Related articles

• Montreal rattled as strong earthquake strikes Quebec (news.nationalpost.com)

The great evacuation: Tonight at 7 pm

 

 

 

The Montreal Fire Department (Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal,  SIM), in collaboration with the Department of Public Security (Ministère de la Sécurité publique), is organizing The Big Evacuation tonight, for residents of the Montreal Agglomeration. During this event, citizens and especially families will be asked to put into practice their fire escape plan, all on the same day and at the same time.

 

The Big Evacuation is part of National Fire Prevention Week and Montréal’s Fire prevention month. To learn more about this activity and prepare to participate, please view the video available here and visit the Web site of the Ministère de la Sécurité publique.

 

During the 2011 edition of The Big Evacuation, the SIM had organized supervised evacuation exercises in three boroughs and one municipality of the agglomeration of Montréal. The event was such a success that they are repeating the experience. You will see below the areas chosen this year. Please note that these sectors have been selected based on the number of fires that occurred.

 

• Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough
  Place de Granby, between Pierre-De Coubertin and Hochelaga
• Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough
  Avenue Champagneur, between d’Anvers and de Liège Ouest
• Lachine borough
  Rue Louis-Paré, starting at 26^e Avenue
• Sud-Ouest borough
  Rue Jacques-Hertel, between Hadley and Eadie
• Ville-Marie borough
  Rue Montcalm, between Sherbrooke Est and Ontario Est
• Town of Kirkland
  Acres Street, between Oriole and Salaberry Boulevard
• City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux
  Brunswick Boulevard, between Davignon and Deacon

Pumper 229 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)