A recent application to build an eight-storey building in West 琉璃神社 highlights the need for a plan to deal with high-rise fires for one city councillor.
Rick de Jong was adamant such a proposal needed to be part of the Official Community Plan (OCP) when it was adopted by council on Sep 12.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to get a handle on what that plan looks like and what the cost of that plan is going to be over time before I start creating expectations from the development community that we鈥檙e ready for a taller building,鈥� he told Black Press.
de Jong noted that while the OCP is an excellent document, it still needs the high-rise firefighting component.
At its Sep. 20 meeting, the city鈥檚 Advisory Planning Commission (APC) recommended against forwarding the proposed residential/commercial building (at Hoskins and Dobbin roads) to council.
Although the structure includes a level of underground parking and rooftop amenities, it is considered an eight-storey building according to city staff.
鈥淐urrently, West 琉璃神社 is not equipped to defend against a fire of any building over six storeys,鈥� said Joe Gluska, APC member. 鈥淐urrently, there is no provision in the OCP for equipment, or a plan, that will bring this into play to fight fires.鈥�
Council expects to have that plan from Fire Chief Jason Brolund by December.
APC member Melissa Smith noted that the city won鈥檛 require additional firefighting equipment and personnel until a structure taller than six storeys is actually built.
鈥淪o to keep saying no to all these developments because we don鈥檛 have that yet is not the right answer,鈥� she added.
Although the application was turned down, de Jong stressed that council needs to be prepared for any similar future applications, especially as the OCP allows up to 19-storey buildings.
鈥淐learly we鈥檙e not going to get there overnight. It鈥檚 going to be a multi-pronged, multi-year plan to get to defending these taller structures and there is going to be a dollar value attached to that which in some part dictates how fast we鈥檙e going to get there.鈥�
John Martin, who ran for city council in the 2022 municipal election, is a 31-year veteran of the Toronto Fire Department and retired to West 琉璃神社 a few years ago.
He shares de Jong鈥檚 concerns.
鈥淚 would say stay away from high-rises,鈥� he said. 鈥淟arge density, high-rise apartments demand swift-fire knock-down, swift-evacuation and the toxic fumes controlled, hence the need for the 43 firefighters.鈥�
Martin referred to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1710 which requires 43 firefighters to respond to a potential high-rise fire within 10 minutes and 10 seconds.
鈥淭here is no way they (council) can accommodate NFPA 1710, so whatever plan they are making is going to be substandard and is going to jeopardize firefighter and public safety.鈥�
However, municipalities are not required to follow NFPA standards, he added.
Martin was involved with 60 high-rise fires during his career and said following NFPA standards would help protect a municipality if it were to be sued by an insurance company trying to recoup payouts.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e trying to formulate a plan that counters NFPA 1710 for high-rises, you鈥檙e moving into dangerous water because you鈥檙e putting yourself up for, basically, legal action.鈥�
de Jong, who has been asking for a high-rise firefighting plan for the past six months, said he feels the OCP was pushed through.
鈥淎gain, I don鈥檛 want to take away from the good work that鈥檚 been done, but it鈥檚 taken this long already let鈥檚 make sure we cross the finish line properly.鈥�
He added that he doesn鈥檛 believe many residents are aware of the potential risks of not having a fully-fledged plan.
鈥淲e need to have a plan in place and we need to be publicly out there with that plan so that everybody is aware of what we鈥檙e going to be able to do and when we鈥檙e going to be able to do it.鈥�
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