Five Questions with Mike McLean, Chief Fire Prevention Officer
By Lookout Production on Oct 03, 2024 with Comments 0
How has your role as Chief Fire Prevention Officer shaped your perspective on fire safety and prevention?
Early on, I was surprised to learn that the DND is self-insured. I quickly realized the importance of the holistic approach with DND’s Fire Protection Program for our Public Service. This approach involves the fire department having a strong prevention program through inspections, education, and checking protection systems like sprinklers and alarms to reduce risk. However, it’s impossible to eliminate the need for emergency response due to incidents involving human error (intentional or unintentional), equipment failure, accidents, and medical emergencies.
Can you share a time when you had to exercise creativity to solve a fire safety issue?
The Ammunition Depot faced a potentially catastrophic situation due to an encroaching fire from outside. We engaged all the relevant stakeholders, including Natural Resources Canada, RPOps, DCC, FSE, Environmental Services, and contractors to reestablish a substantial firebreak around the Depot. Collaboration and creativity were essential as we aimed to be good stewards of the environment, protect ecosystems, and consider species at risk, all while prioritizing safety. We had to be mindful of forest ecosystems, avoid sensitive areas, and consider the impact on species at risk throughout the process.
What personal qualities do you believe are essential for someone to excel as a fire inspector?
Good communicator, good listener, patient, empathetic, willing to learn and integrity.
What are the most common fire hazards you encounter, and how do you address them?
Electrical overloading, hazardous work processes, and hot works are significant concerns at CFB Esquimalt. Fortunately, we have a robust hot work permitting system in place. With numerous hot work and hazardous processes occurring daily on this massive industrial site, education for local workers and contractors, and early involvement in projects and safety controls, is essential. CFB Esquimalt benefits from an excellent safety culture, allowing us to collaborate with other groups to enforce safety mandates.
A strong inspection program helps teach about hazards like overloading. Looking ahead, we must be mindful of the increased use of batteries, electric bikes, scooters, and electric vehicles. While we can’t – and don’t want to – stop these advancements, we need to be creative with fire safety solutions. As society and innovation progress, our rules and guidelines will need to adapt accordingly.
How do you measure success in your role, and what accomplishments are you most proud of?
One measure of success is limiting the amount of loss due to fire. While we can never eliminate accidents, personnel, or equipment failure, we can significantly reduce the amount of loss through the combined efforts of our Fire Department.
A notable accomplishment that will continue to pay dividends long after my tenure is the installation of the two-stage fire alarm system at DY 250. Since its implementation, production savings of nearly 2 million dollars have been realized by reducing false or unnecessary full evacuations. Additionally, we integrated an Incident Command Platform system, which allows us to instantly identify and locate activated devices and remotely control the fire alarm system from our dispatch center at CFB Esquimalt Fire Rescue.
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