Staff Report: Local Authority Designation of Fire Inspector and Fire Investigators

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The British Columbia Fire Safety Act (the “Act”) came into effect on August 1, 2024. As part of the Act’s requirements, each local government is responsible for designating persons or classes of persons, in writing, to act as the Local Authority’s fire inspectors and fire investigators for the purposes of administering this Act. This designation provides the designees with the ability to utilize the powers enabled by this new legislation.

BACKGROUND

The new Fire Safety Act (2024) replaces the aging Fire Services Act (1979) with the goal of achieving a single standard for fire safety. It brings several significant changes to British Columbia and will:

• Enable local authorities to designate personnel to carry out fire inspections and fire investigations and enable local fire services to perform tactical evacuation.
• Establish an administrative penalty enforcement model to address non-compliance issues in a more direct, timely and effective manner.
• Implement a risk-based approach for fire safety compliance monitoring in municipalities.

All persons or classes of persons designated by the Local Authority to perform fire inspections and fire investigations must meet the Fire Safety Act Inspector and Investigation Training Standard. This shall be demonstrated through the completion of a Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition process. Most of the Fire Department members filling the roles outlined in this report’s recommendation already meet or exceed these minimum training standards. The components that make up the minimum training standards are already part of the Fire Department’s regular training program and ongoing certification of members will continue.

COMMENTARY

Staff are recommending that Council designate Langford Fire Rescue’s Fire Chief Deputy Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief, Captains, Lieutenants, or Fire Prevention Officer as fire inspectors and fire investigators, as defined within the British Columbia Fire Safety Act, for the purposes of performing fire inspections and/or fire investigations within the City of Langford.

TIMELINES

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

No funds are being requested as part of this designation. Any additional training for members not in compliance with the parameters of the Fire Safety Act, will occur as part of the regular ongoing Fire Department training process that is currently supported through existing budgets.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

Council is required, under the Fire Safety Act to designate both fire inspectors and fire investigators.

OPTIONS

Option 1
THAT Council designate Langford Fire Rescue’s Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief, Captains, Lieutenants, and Fire Prevention Officers as fire inspectors and fire investigators, as defined within the British Columbia Fire Safety Act, for the purposes of performing fire inspections and/or fire investigations within the City of Langford.

OR Option 2
THAT Council designate the following positions to perform fire inspections and/or fire investigations on behalf of the City of Langford:

1. ---

2. ---

3. _____________________.

SUBMITTED BY

Chris Aubrey, Fire Chief

Concurrence

• Melisa Miles, Manager of Legislative Services
• Donna Petrie, Senior Manager of Communications & Economic Development
• Yari Nielsen, Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities
• Matthew Baldwin, RPP, MCIP, Director of Development Services
• Leah Stohmann, RPP, MCIP, Director of Community Planning and Climate Change
• Katelyn Balzer, P.Eng., Director of Engineering and Public Works
• Michael Dillabaugh, CPA, CA, Director of Finance
• Marie Watmough, Director of Legislative & Protective Services
• Braden Hutchins, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
• Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer