EastGorham

AUTUMN 2014

EGF&R First Responder training:

Backboarding a patient and improvising
with available materials

FIRE & RESCUE

LOCAL SERVICES BOARD

Fire Prevention Week - The Legacy of Fire Education and Prevention

Fire Prevention Week was
established to commemorate the
Great Chicago Fire, the tragic 1871
conflagration that killed more than
250 people, left 100,000 homeless,
destroyed more than 17,400
structures and burned more than
2,000 acres. The fire began on
October 8, but continued into and did
most of its damage on October 9,
1871.
Commemorating a conflagration
According to popular legend, the fire
broke out after a cow - belonging to
Mrs. Catherine O'Leary - kicked over
a lamp, setting first the barn, then the

In This Issue:
Calendar of Events
Financial Picture
Board Election Results/Tax Levy
Stove Maintenance & Evolution

2
2
3
4

whole city on fire. Chances are

you've heard some version of this
story yourself; people have been
blaming the Great Chicago Fire on
the cow and Mrs. O'Leary, for more
than 130 years. But recent research
by Chicago historian Robert Cromie
has helped to debunk this version of
events.
The 'Moo' myth
Like any good story, the 'case of the
cow' has some truth to it. The great
fire almost certainly started near the
barn where Mrs. O'Leary kept her five
milking cows. But there is no proof
that O'Leary was in the barn when
the fire broke out - or that a jumpy
cow sparked the blaze. Mrs. O'Leary
herself swore that she'd been in bed
early that night, and that the cows
were also tucked in for the evening.
But if a cow wasn't to blame for the
huge fire, what was? Over the years,
journalists and historians have
offered plenty of theories. Some
blamed the blaze on a couple of
neighborhood boys who were near
the barn sneaking cigarettes. Others
believed that a neighbor of the
O'Leary's may have started the fire.

Some people have speculated that a

fiery meteorite may have fallen to
earth on October 8, starting several
fires that day - in Michigan and
Wisconsin, as well as in Chicago.
The biggest blaze that week
While the Great Chicago Fire was the
best-known blaze to start during this
fiery two-day stretch, it wasn't the
biggest. That distinction goes to the
Peshtigo Fire, the most devastating
forest fire in American history. The
fire, which also occurred on October
8th, 1871, and roared through
Northeast Wisconsin, burning down
16 towns, killing 1,152 people, and
scorching 1.2 million acres before it
ended.
Historical accounts of the fire say that
the blaze began when several
railroad workers clearing land for
tracks unintentionally started a brush
fire. Before long, the fast-moving
flames were whipping through the
area 'like a tornado,' some survivors
said. It was the small town of
Peshtigo, Wisconsin that suffered the
worst damage. Within an hour, the
entire town had been destroyed.

Events
If you have an East Gorham
event, important date, special
occasion or interesting story
that you would like included in
the next newsletter, contact us.
Email Us:
eglsb@tbaytel.net
Call Us:
807.683.1355
(messages are only checked
every couple of days)
Mail Us:
5 Kam Current Road
Gorham, ON
P7G 0J7
or contact newsletter curator
Tim Bernardi at home or
through email @
807.345.0228
tbernardi@tbaytel.net

Recent & Upcoming Events

Aug 1-6/14
During the first week of
August, Project Healing
waters, with the financial
support of Wilderness North,
Lappe and East Gorham Fire &
Rescue had the privilege of
taking a half dozen service
men on a journey of healing
from the effects of PTSB

Aug 21/14
EGF&R Meeting
- Financials reviewed/
approved
- Service contract with LSB
reviewed/approved
- Jacques Fire Hall Location:
Community to decide on
further improvements and/or
changes
- Tarmola Hall surveillance
system in place to deal with
ongoing misuse of community
property

Oct 7/14

Sept 12/14

LSB Meeting
- Review/approval of financials
- Vote on method of collection
for taxes (flat rate vs.levy)

- Board Elections
- Review of Financial

October
Fire Prevention:
October is Fire Prevention
Month. The Ontario Fire
Marshals Office mandates
door to door checks on
households in our community.
Members of EGF&R will be
visiting homes to ensure smoke
detectors and CO alarms are
installed and tested. Be sure
to check your alarms and
change your batteries!
- CO alarms outside every
sleeping area
- Smoke detectors on every
floor

Money, Money, Money

Ok now that we have your attention, we want to share with you the financial picture of
East Gorham Fire & Rescue.

Nov 4/14
- LSB Meeting @ NB Hall
19h00
- Open to all inhabitants of East
Gorham

Looking to Get Involved?

If you have a talent, time and
the inclination to help, contact
us. Wed love to help you find
a way to to give back to the
community!

17,600

25,814

7,715

The Board of Directors, under the Chairmanship of Dennis Thibodeau, met on August 21, 7,100
2014 and approved the 2014/2015 fiscal year budget. For the previous two years, East
Gorham Fire & Rescue was able to operate with no increases to its contract fee to the
5,373
Local Services Board of East Gorham (LSB) of $98,547. However, the Board increased that
fee to $107,000 for the upcoming year which starts on Oct. 1, 2014.

11,745

10,000

The reason for this increase is not increased departmental spending, but it is a reflection of
having to follow standard accounting practices.

24,900

Capital assets, such as buildings, vehicles, pumps, office equipment, etc., were not shown
on our books in the past. Our Auditors, BDO Dunwoody, recommended that these assets
be properly accounted for. Of course each capital item only has a certain life expectancy
and as it gets older, it loses value - which is called Depreciation. The amount of
Depreciation (Amortization) is entered in our books as an expense. For the 2013/2014
fiscal year, that new expense amounted to just over $26,000. East Gorham Fire & Rescue
was able to absorb about half of this new, but additional expense but some of it had to be
passed on to the LSB.

Amortization
Administration
Training & Fire Fighting
Volunteers
Utilities
Gas & Mtce of Fleet
Communiations
Other

The books of the corporation are audited annually, and the audit results for 2013/2014 fiscal year will likely be
available by January 2015. Please let us know if you would like to have a copy of the audit e-mailed to you free of
charge by sending your request to egf_r@tbaytel.net. But there will be a fee to recapture our cost if you would like to
receive a paper copy of the audit.

Local Services Board

Election Results
Local Services Boards (LSB)
are governed by regulations
laid out in the Northern
Services Boards Act. One of the
many requirements of those
regulations is that elections for
Board Members are held every
September for the fiscal year of
October 1st to September 30th
the following year. Elections for
the LSB of East Gorham were
held on September 13th, 2014
with our Ministry of Northern
Development & Mines advisor
(Linda Braun) in attendance.
Now we had also hoped for
many of our inhabitants to take
part in that process, but only
one attended.
There was one change to the
Board make-up: Mr. Dennis
Tuomi declined his nomination,
but Mr. John Guarasci from
Jacques Township agreed to let
his name stand. After
everything was said and done,
the new Board Members of
your Local Services Board are:

Chair
Ms. Shelley Tuomi

Board Members

Fire Protection Fee set for your 2015

Provincial Land Tax Bill

129000

96750
64500
32250
0

2013
2014
2015

The Local Services Board of East Gorham held its annual

Budget Meeting on Nov. 4, 2014 at the North Branch Fire Hall.
One of the results of setting the budget for the coming fiscal year
is setting the amount the Board has to collect from property
owners and residents for providing Fire Protection to the
Townships of East Gorham and Jacques.
While the Board has been successful over the past two years to
operate without an increase, the Board voted to increase the levy
by $ 3,071, an increase of 2.4%. That increase means that a
property owner with a $100,000 property assessment will be
paying $3.33 more for the year in 2015 - a very small increase
for the year.
What is also interesting is that the increase is driven not by an
Yearly Levy Amount
increase in spending, but rather the result of having to reflect
Amortization as an expense item (in the past capital assets were
not shown on the books).
Your Board will continue to strive to provide the best possible service at the lowest
possible cost.
You should also be aware that you may see other changes on your tax bill not related
to the Boards budget from changes in assessment made through MPAC.

Your Fire Number

Fire numbers were assigned and installed in East
Gorham and in Jacques Townships over 10 years ago.
They are absolutely critical for our Volunteers to
quickly arrive at the scene of any emergency.
You may not be aware, but fire numbers are based on
the number of meters from the starting point (i.e. the
beginning of the road or intersection) and pretty well
correspond to your odometer on the car. For example,
once you see fire number 414, and you are looking for
fire number 1514, our Volunteers know that they have
to drive another 1.1 km - so every number along the
road is important.
But like I said above, it has been over 10 years ago
that most of the fire numbers were put up. Trees grow;
brush grows; and some may have been hit by a snow
plow or other vehicles. So we are asking you to have a look at the fire number at the
end of your driveway:

Mr. John Guarasci

Mr. Jim Parkes

1. Is there a Fire Number in place?

Mr. Dennis Thibodeau

Ms. Pat Williams

3. Can your Fire Number be clearly seen from the road? Make sure you cut the

We welcome Mr. John

Guarasci to the Board,
especially since John resides in
Jacques Township and we
lacked representation from that
area on the Board in the past.
The Chair also thanked Mr.
Dennis Tuomi for his service.

2. Does the Fire Number match your house address number?

brush or move anything that may obstruct a clear view of the fire number to
passing drivers.

4. Check as you arrive at your place during nighttime and see if the Fire Number
lights up maybe take a soft cloth and wipe it clean if the reflective coating
does not shine bright.

5. Think about the snow banks during the winter months will our Volunteers still
see your Fire Number once the banks get high?

Remember! If we cannot find you we cannot help you!

Missing or damaged numbers can be replaced, although there is a charge of about $40
plus the cost of the post (if needed). So if you have questions or concerns or require
assistance, e-mail us at egf_r@tbaytel.net or leave us a message on (807) 683-1355.
Remember we are all Volunteers and it may take a few days to get back to you.

Wood-Burning Stove
Maintenance Time
Its that time again to fire up the ol
stove to drive out that NW Ontario cold
that seems to come earlier every year.
If you are like most East Gorham
homeowners with a wood-burning
stove, youve probably waited until you
needed heat before you even thought
about that essential appliance. Before
you strike the first match of the year,
ensure that youve swept your
chimney, inspected the pipes for any
leaks and ensure that all doors,
gaskets, and windows are in
operational condition so that toxic
gases dont escape into your living
areas.
It is also essential to ensure all smoke
and CO alarms are tested regularly,
have fresh batteries and are located on
every floor of your home.
Regardless of the type of wood
burning stove you have, they all need
regular and annual maintenance. Here
is a brief history on the evolution of
wood burning stoves:
The Campfire - Archeologists suggest
that the 750,000-year-old Gesher
Benot Ya'aqov site in Israel is the first
place humans built fires in specific
spots possibly using hearths.
Although not regulated in East
Gorham, it is wise to ensure your
outdoor campfire
is in a safe
location away
from other
combustibles on
your property. If in
doubt, refer to the
City of Thunder
Bays Fire Permit Regulations for
minimum safety guidelines.
Open Fireplace - Huge stone mantles
with beautiful hearths set the stage for

Who We Are
East Gorham Fire & Rescue is composed of
18 dedicated volunteers who are certified
and outfitted by the Ontario Fire
Marshals Office and the residents of East
Gorham through the LSB. We proudly
serve the fire and medical emergency
needs of our community.

a truly romantic picture. Unfortunately,

these hard-to-clean beasts are quite
inefficient and tend to suck warm air
out of the house and out the chimney.
Improve your open fireplace with
aftermarket heat exchangers that can
help recirculate air back into the room.
Franklin Stove - An improvement on
Benjamin Franklins Pennsylvania
fireplace produced in 1741. This openfaced, free-standing
fireplace has an inverted
flue that draws hot gases
into a baffle and expels it
through vents into the
room. It took 40 years
for developers designed
a proper chimney to
properly expel these gases from the
house.
Pot Bellied Stove - Youve probably
seen these iconic cast-iron fireplaces
in an old cabin. They feature a
rounded section to house the fire
(originally both wood and coal) and a
cooktop used to heat water or cook
food. Dont get too close. Some
newer models are rated for up to 200
000 Btus.
Traditional Cookstove - One of the
most elegant wood-fired cooking
appliances was
manufactured in
1876 at the
Findlay forges in
Carleton Place,
ON. The large
cast-iron surface
and enameled
oven cooked food, warmed water and
heated homes.
Masonry Stove - Fast, hot-burning
fires drive combustion gases through
complex heat
exchange
passages that
capture hot
gases before
exiting the
chimney. The
heat is stored in
the stoves
massive brick,
masonry or plaster mass and
gradually releases the heat over the
course of several hours or even days.

Become Part of The Team

If you are interested in becoming a
volunteer firefighter/first responder,
please contact Chief Ted Post.
Training Meetings are held every
Wed. night in North Branch Hall@
19h00

(e)
(p)

egf_r@tbaytel.net
807-683-1355

Airtight Stove - Allowing the user

more control over the speed of the
wood burn than in their potbellied
cousins, airtight stoves saw huge sale
increases during the 70s and 80s.
The slower burn also makes for a
smokier burn and are unnecessarily
polluting.
Modern Stove - Modern noncatalytic
stoves generally feature a damper that
directs smoke and creosote into a
secondary combustion
chamber. Hot air is
then added to the
chamber, which
reignites the unburned
fuel. Catalytic
combustors operate in
stoves much like they do
in cars. A platinum grid placed after the
firebox captures the exhaust and
combusts it.
Automated Boiler - Many indoor
cordwood boilers are computerautomated to control the amount of air
needed to burn wood at a very high
temperatureoften around 2000
degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures that
virtually all the fuel, including smoke
and gases, combusts completely.
Whereas pellet-fueled versions are
completely automated, drawing fuel
from storage when needed, cordwood
modes must be manually refueled
once or twice each day. However,
because they burn wood so efficiently,
they produce very little ash and rarely
need to be cleaned out.

Have an Emergency?

Dial 9-1-1
Fire - Medical - Police