As Kelowna builds tall buildings taller than ever, concerns about how to fight tower fires are rising.
The union that represents the city’s firefighters is concerned about the workforce.
The Kelowna Professional Fire Fighters Association president said the city’s current requirement to have at least 23 firefighters on shift does not meet the National Fire Protection Association’s standard for high-rise firefighting.
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“The NFPA standard for high-rise fires is 42 firefighters within 10 minutes,” said Troy Mamchur, president of the Kelowna Professional Fire Fighters Association.
The union president admits that personnel could be expensive in a worst-case scenario, but believes it is a consideration worth considering.
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“If there was a fire that the sprinkler system couldn’t handle for some reason … it’s hard to say what effect it would have,” Mamchur said.
“It would certainly be dangerous for everyone involved, both for firefighters who enter the building and for the residents of the building.”
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However, the city’s fire chief is confident that his current employees can respond to high-rise buildings.
“Our department is professionally trained, professionally equipped and ready to respond to anything that happens in the city,” said fire chief Travis Whiting.
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Whiting doesn’t rule out calling for more firefighters in the future if the department’s annual review shows it is necessary.
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“The city has done a good job helping us meet the city’s needs. As we continue to grow and these buildings rise, we will continue to evaluate our needs and requirements for firefighters, ”Whiting said.
What the fire department stresses is fire safety for every building in Kelowna.
“Our fire protection officer and his staff are heavily involved in the construction process, making sure that all building and fire regulations requirements are met, which really gives us the opportunity to better respond to these buildings,” said Whiting.
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