Fire & Rescue

Our Community, Our Commitment to Educate, Prevent & Serve those in need.

1. Life Safety
2. Property Protection
3. Environment Preservation

Puslinch Fire and Rescue Services successfully completed the test and all required Fire Underwriters Survey (FUS) Rural Water Supply testing, and was given the following rating:

• Superior Tanker Shuttle listing for residential properties
• Superior Tanker Shuttle listing for commercial properties

The Superior Tanker Shuttle Accreditation means the Puslinch Fire and Rescue Services demonstrated an ability to efficiently transport water to rural fire scenes to protect our citizens.

The Superior Tanker Shuttle Service Accreditation forms part of the Fire Underwriters Survey Rating for a municipality. To achieve this accreditation, Fire Service must pass a test administered by Insurers’ Advisory Organization (IAO) staff proving their ability to:

• Have a minimum of 900 litres/minute (200/GPM) of water flowing within five minutes of the first apparatus (pump) arriving on the fire scene (a test site), and
• Maintain the flow uninterrupted for two hours.

The test site must be within eight kilometres of the fire station and must be at least five kilometres from the location where the tankers are reloaded.

The purpose of the Puslinch Fire and Rescue Services Training Division is to train firefighters and officers for a professional response to the public needs. To meet these needs, our Fire Training Division staff is certified to teach and evaluate in all areas of instruction.

There are currently two personnel assigned to the Fire Training Division. We operate from a 3 year plan and maintain an open systems model in training service delivery to Fire Department Personnel. Fire department staff train on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday evenings.

The training provided to a modern-day firefighter is as diverse as the types of calls the Fire Department responds to. One moment the firefighters are fighting a structure fire and the next they are assisting an elderly person back into their wheel chair. From the moment a firefighter is hired until the day they retire, they are immersed in training. The numerous dangers of a superheated atmosphere inside of a structure fire are not ideal for “on the job training” sessions. The Training Division’s goal is to provide valuable training before a firefighter is presented with the many different types of emergency and non-emergency calls for service. Some of these training topics include:

• Training for New Hires
• Incident Command and Control
• Structural Firefighting
• Vehicle Firefighting
• Pump Operations
• Extrication Techniques
• Wildland Firefighting
• Fire Investigation
• High Angle Rescue
• Confined Space Rescue
• Water Rescue
• Ice Water Rescue
• Vehicle Rescue
• Hazardous Materials
• Building Collapse
• Disaster Preparedness, Response, Mitigation
• Emergency Medical Training includes Defibrillator and CPR
• Report Writing
• Employee Developmental and Promotional Training

Fire Prevention offers a variety of community fire safety programs for various groups, agencies, and associations throughout the Puslinch area. Programs address fire safety at home and in workplaces such as schools, offices, factories, and stores. Public fire safety educators work closely with local community groups and are available to make presentations to the community. For timely assistance with Fire Public Education, please contact us.

One of the major duties of the fire prevention division is to help owners, tenants, and/or workers deal with fire-related problems in the buildings they own or occupy. Upgrading of properties, using primarily the Ontario Fire Code as a minimum standard, is done on a continual basis to ensure exiting, containment, annunciation (alarms), suppression equipment, and assemblies are present where required by code.

Anyone wishing to set off or discharge Consumer fireworks will also need to apply for a temporary permit through the Fire Department and will need to meet requirements such as minimum lot line distances and other safety factors that demonstrate that the display is being held in a safe manner. The use of sparklers is not considered as fireworks. A temporary permit from the Town is required to sell Consumer fireworks on specific days of the year. The Fire Department will inspect the retail site to ensure the vendor is in compliance with building and zoning requirements, Fire Code and with the Federal Explosives Act.

See the Firework Safety Tip Sheet for more details.

The Puslinch Fire and Rescue Service take the enforcement of the Fire Code and all of its regulations very seriously. It is the responsibility of a property owner to ensure that all applicable regulations and statues are complied with. Property owners who fail to ensure that their properties meet the minimum standards of fire and life safety will be charged under the Provincial Offences Act and are subject to penalties as outlined in the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997. These fines can be up to $50,000 for an individual or imprisonment for a term not more than one year, or both or $100,000 for a corporation.

The fire prevention division will assist or assume the lead role in determining the origin and cause of the fires of an unusual nature, arson, explosions, fatalities, and/or fires that the firefighting division is unsure of the origin. The members of the division have specialized training in the science of fire investigation, which they can use to determine the cause of the fire and if necessary, assist the police in ensuring a strong legal case in the instance of an intentionally set fire.

Fire prevention officers offer public fire safety education through lectures and demonstrations to schools, institutions, girl guides/boy scouts/cadets, babysitters, general public, and other groups and organizations. They conduct fire safety inspections in all businesses and institutions and ensure fire protection equipment is maintained. Fire-related by-law enforcement, business and liquor license approval inspections, property transfer fire inspections, and fire code interpretations are available on request. They are also qualified in fire origin and cause, determinations for fire investigations, courtesy home inspections, assistance in emergency planning, fire setters counsel, portable fire extinguisher training, etc.

The Ontario Fire Code requires a Fire Safety Plan for many properties or businesses. A Fire Safety Plan helps to ensure effective utilization of fire safety systems, equipment, and procedures in a building to protect people from fire. The Puslinch Fire and Rescue Services tests and evaluates whether these plans adhere to the required regulations.

A key box is a secure key safe that mounts on the wall of a building, dry hydrant pipe, or fence post. The only keys available to open the box are in the possession of the fire department. When there is a fire alarm or a fire, the fire department can access the key safe and use the water tank and gate keys to access the water tank and property rather than forcing locks and gates. This is particularly beneficial for incidents involving automatic alarms and fire events. There is a fee for the lock box.

For all new liquor licenses in Puslinch it is important that the establishments are in compliance with the fire code. Fire Prevention Division is commonly requested to set the occupant load for the establishments based on the provisions set out in both the Ontario Building Code and the Ontario Fire Code. We do charge a fee for this service.

Annual water tank (dry hydrant) inspections and testing is a significant component of our fire suppression water supply program. It is imperative that property owners with fire reservoirs test their water tanks (dry hydrants) annually and submit proof of inspection to the Fire Prevention division. 

Watch this video (Part 1 and Part 2) to learn more about Barn Fire Prevention.

Puslinch Fire and Rescue Service currently offer fire extinguisher training courses for groups and organizations in the Township who are seeking value-added professional training in fire extinguisher operation.

The Public Education division is often asked to speak on various fire safety topics from small groups to very large audiences. We try to accommodate every speaking engagement request and we are available to speak after hours if need be.

Fire department staff visit residences in the Township every fall to create awareness around smoke alarms in homes and home escape planning. During this time, firefighters educate residents on the importance of having at least one working smoke alarm on every level and outside sleeping areas of your home. They also offer to conduct an inspection of smoke alarms to ensure that they are in working condition and on every level of the home (including basement) and outside every sleeping area.

The Home Fire Safety campaign is a unique program that allows the firefighters to be present and proactive in the Township. The fire department reaches out to the public by going door-to-door with important fire safety messages, inviting them to ask questions, and giving them the opportunity to get free assistance with smoke alarm installation, if needed.

The OFM recommends that:

• If anyone in the household sleeps with the bedroom door closed, install an alarm inside their bedroom.
• Batteries should never be removed from smoke alarms. If nuisance alarms are a problem, try moving the alarm to another location or purchase an alarm with a “hush feature” that temporarily silences the alarm.
• Smoke alarms are replaced every 10 years.
• Smoke alarms are tested once a month and the batteries be replaced every year.
• Everyone in the household knows what to do if the smoke alarm sounds.
• Develop a home fire escape plan and practice it with the entire household.