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MAPLE RIDGE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Citizens Report 2017 | 15
Geographic information Systems
(GIS) and data management is an
integral part of modern firefighting.
Each of the Fire Department fire
trucks is equipped with a laptop that
is used to calculate the fastest route to
a call and provides essential property
records that the Fire Department uses
to assist in controlling the emergency.
“This information allows the first
arriving firefighters to recommend
a course of action or be advised of
dangers within that property,’ said
Chief Exner. “Throughout my career
with the department I have seen the
evolution of technology that improves
the response and deployment of our
crews to protect lives and property. The
opportunity to share this data as part
of the OGP was a natural evolution of
the department.”
The ‘Fire Department Multi
Year Stats’ table provides citizens
with information on the total call
volumes and breakdowns by category.
In 2017 there were 144 structure fires
compared to 125 in 2016.
The data shows that 47 of these fires
were in the downtown versus 43 in
west Maple Ridge. “Data drives much
of our decision making. Modern
building codes require the installation
of sprinkler systems to suppress fires
in
all
residential
buildings.
We have a number of houses and
apartments that were built before
the sprinkler requirement was
put in place,” said Chief Exner.
“This means we put a high priority
on building inspections on places
built before the requirement was in
place, especially apartment buildings.
Ensuring that the fire exits are clear,
that exit signage is in place and that
there are no accelerants in common
areas, underground parking and
hallways, is critical with these
properties. It can mean the difference
between life and death in a large fire.”
There’s a second table that
captures the full array of emergency
incidents in our community. This
table includes data on all types of
fires, alarms, medical emergencies
and vehicle accident rescues that the
Fire Department responds to. Our
Fire Department responds to only the
more serious medical type calls.
“We are there to respond to
serious medical calls where we can
absolutely make a positive difference
in the medical outcome of a sick or
injured person. Our firefighters have
medical aid training and are trained
in special rescue skills to deal with
emergency situations where a few
minutes can make a difference in a
person’s outcome,” said Chief Exner.
“There is no prouder moment than
when a person we’ve helped visits
the Fire Hall after they recover from
their emergency. It serves as a positive
reminder that we are here to help.”
One of the first areas to embrace the Open Government Portal (OGP) development was the Maple Ridge
Fire Department.