A primary focus of the DNVFRS is mitigating the impacts of fire and reducing the number of fires that start in the first place.

We pursue this goal by investigating fires to determine cause and origin and working with builders and developers to ensure that measures are in place to limit fire risk. We also regularly inspect commercial, industrial, and multi-family buildings to check for compliance with all fire codes and standards. Here are highlights of our work in 2022 that helped minimize fire risk in the District.

Fire Investigations

We act as Local Assistants to the BC Fire Commissioner, which means we are responsible for investigating fires in our municipality to determine whether the fire was due to accident, negligence, or design flaw.

We investigated 68 structure, vehicle, and outdoor fires in 2022. DNVFRS recovered $2,500 for five of the billable fire investigations. Cost recovery is a Fire Bylaw requirement that provides direct costing for these investigations.

Pre-Fire Planning and Mobile Inspections

The mobile computers and digital devices on all fire engine apparatus have been linked to a new mobile software program launched in 2021. The program allows for real-time updates and access to pre-incident plans that provide important details about buildings and properties and helps to ensure the safety of our firefighters. Work continues to update information on our existing buildings in the District and is being expanded to include high-risk construction sites and to include communities at most significant risk of wildfire. 

The new software program also provides us access to pre-incident plans for our shared service partners in the District of West Vancouver and the City of North Vancouver. 

Community Risk Reduction

Our Captain of Public Safety and Community Risk Reduction is focused on increasing public engagement, reviewing and revising our programs, and identifying new ways to reach at-risk groups.

This position helps DNVFRS build a comprehensive assessment of the specific risks to our community and create a community risk-reduction plan. The goal is to make targeted public education programs for our community and stakeholders, including redesigning our traditional educational programs to leverage technology through innovation.

In 2022 we developed and launched a new high school CPR program that will reach over 500 students in North Vancouver and provide lifesaving training from certified fire service personnel.

In 2022, our public education programs provided 128 presentations on topics that included fire station tours, FireSmart information sessions, and campfire safety with Girl Guide groups. This provided over 187 hours of educational content that reached approximately 7,100 people.

Fire Inspections

Our Public Safety Officers routinely inspect public buildings, industrial, commercial and multi-residential buildings and lodging houses.

In 2022, we conducted 5,757 inspections, generating $3,990.00 in cost recovery from non-compliance and re-inspection fines. After modifying our regular inspection programs due to COVID-19 in early 2020, our Fire Inspection program was back to operating at normal capacity in 2022 with proper safety protocols in place.

As a result of the most recent upgrade of the Fire Data Records Management System (FDM), the Public Safety Division has shifted to a fully mobile inspection program that saves time, improves data entry and enhances our customer service to the community.

Plans Reviewed and Fees Collected

Fire Safety Plans

As part of fire inspection work, our staff also processes fire safety plans. In 2022, we processed 37 fire safety plans for buildings that meet these minimum requirements:

• Buildings that the BC Building Code requires to have a fire alarm
• Demolition and construction sites
• Storage areas
• Where flammable liquids are stored or handled
• Where hazardous processes or operations occur
• Buildings that have assembly, care, treatment, or detection uses

Building Permit Reviews

For 2022, we have separated our Building Permit reviews from our Construction Fire Safety Plan reviews to better illustrate the different work and ways our Public Safety Staff engage with the development and construction activity within the District. During a project’s design and build phase, Public Safety Staff work directly with developers to ensure that new buildings comply with the BC Building Code and the BC Fire Code and meet fire department operational requirements while under construction, during an occupancy inspection, and over the life of the building. In 2022, 39 detailed permit reviews were provided and $245,384.34 in fees were recovered.

Construction Fire Safety Plan Reviews

Our Public Safety Division staff work directly with developers during a project’s design and build phase to ensure all new construction is carried out safely, and that the areas surrounding the project are protected. This process allows us to engage with the contractors and owners ensuring  ensure that new buildings comply with the BC Fire Code and meet fire department operational requirements while under construction.

In 2022, our Public Safety members reviewed 23 detailed plans and collected $3,622.50 to offset staffing cost.

Pre-Incident Fire Plan Reviews

Our staff maintain a database of building details and plans for properties in the District, and we’re working on updating an online access program. The building database supports fire department operations with timely access to information during an emergency. In 2022, developers submitted 37 plans to DNVFRS personnel for review and implementation and paid $5,827.50 in review fees.

We also created 38 new building preplans, updated 138 buildings and added 5,659 images to update building information.

Direct Fee/Cost Recovery

The Public Safety Division provides other services directly to the community that result in cost recover. These include the following services:

• Fireworks permitting and vendor site inspections: $3,695.00
• False alarm recovery: $14,521.85
• Property information requests: $2835.00