Farm & Food Care OntarioLivestock Emergency Project – 2018/19

Farm Fires and Livestock Truck Rollovers

Farm fire awareness

Livestock Emergency Preparedness: Farm Fire Prevention and Livestock Emergency Training

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Farm fires and livestock truck rollovers have emerged as two of the most important animal welfare issues impacting farmers and the public’s perception of farming practices today.

Industry Working Group: Barn Fire Risk Reduction Advisory Panel

• OMAFRA: Colleen Fitzgerald-Hubble, Dan Carlow, Jacqui Empson Laporte, Steve Beadle, Vicki Hilborn, Dan Ward

• Farm & Food Care: Bruce Kelly, Victor MacPherson• Insurance: Randy Drysdale (Farm Mutual Reinsurance), Jim Zyta (Heartland

Farm Mutual)• ESA: Malcolm Brown, Nansy Hanna• Commodity Groups: Melissa Speirs (Veal Farmers of Ontario), Sam Bradshaw

(Ontario Pork), Doug Ahrens (Ontario Pork), Frank Wood (Ontario Pork), Gayle Echer (Equine Guelph)

• Municipalities: John Elston (Middlesex FD), Jason Benn (North Perth FD), Chief DeBrouwer (Middlesex FD)

• MMA: Mohamed El Semelawy• OBOA: Matt Farrell• Tacoma Engineers: Steve Adema, Will Teron• MCSCS: Jay Current• Canadian Farm Builders Association: Tyler Griffith

Slides/images borrowed from:• Bruce Kelly, Program Manager

Farm & Food Care Ontario

• Jim Zyta, Heartland Mutual Insurance Company

• Vicki Hilborn, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)

• Gayle Ecker, Equine Guelph

Why the attention on barn fires?• Devastating event for farm families • Tragic loss of animals• Increased public interest in animal welfare• More media coverage of fires

Barn Fires (Housing Animals) StatisticsYear Number of Fires Annual Value of Losses Average Value per Loss Fire

2016 73 $25,451,050 $403,985

2015 73 $29,290,800 $430,747

2014 68 $16,505,059 $279,747

2013 67 $14,332,005 $247,104

2012 56 $8,595,926 $182,892

2011 86 $22,564,951 $282,062

2010 72 $17,645,500 $309,570

2009 76 $13,588,300 $242,648

** Data from Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal

What are OMAFRA & the Ag Sector doing to reduce the risks?

Barn Fire Advisory

Panel

Programs and

Initiatives

Research and

Innovation

Fact Sheets and BMPs

Research and innovation Environmental conditions testing (including methane

and hydrogen sulfide) Developing fire detection equipment with infrared

technology Tracking the update to the National Farm Building Code

Factsheets & Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Programs and initiatives Lambton County – Farm Emergency Sketch Pilot Project Middlesex County – template for Fire Safety Plan Electrical safety presentations FLIR Camera demonstrations at farm shows

2 New Planning Documents for Farms

Farm & Food Care Ontario CAP Project: Livestock Emergency Preparedness, Farm Fire Prevention and

Livestock Emergency Training(in progress)

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Factsheets & BMPs

Top Ten Ways to Reduce Farm Fires1. Housekeeping2. Extension Cords3. Inspection of Electrical Systems4. Welding and Grinding (hot works)5. Risk Reduction Inspections6. Fire Safety Plans7. Attic fire stops and walls8. Heater Maintenance9. Motorised Equipment away from barns10. Store combustibles away from livestock

Website under development

Be in the farm press

Focus on electrical safety in barns

Why?1. Corrosion from humidity and corrosive

gases in livestock areas2. Rodent damage (older barns)

• 50% of barn fires have known cause• 40% of barn fires (with a known cause) are the result of

electrical system failures

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Corrosion of copper in barns – hydrogen sulfide

• Barn electrical system are mostly copper and brass

• Livestock barns contain hydrogen sulfide generated from manure

• Copper corrodes into copper sulfide

• Copper continues to corrode over time, which results in resistance heating

Copper

O2

Cor

rosi

on

Time

H2S

Copper Oxide

Copper Sulfide

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Electrical system requirements

X

• Household-type plugs and receptacles are not designed to withstand the livestock barn environment.

• Extension cords are not appropriate for equipment installations.

• Use hard-wired equipment or NEMA 4X (or equivalent) plugs & outlets.

X

X

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Electrical system requirements• Minimize electrical system components in livestock areas of

barn• Main electrical supply panel and sub-panels should be in a

separate room that is ventilated by dry, heated, fresh air• Room should have a door to limit access of corrosive gas.• Good practice to install fire monitoring system in this room

(temp).• NEMA 4X equipment(especially in livestock and manure

areas)

Recommendations to Codes Coming

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Electrical system requirementsUse the right electrical components for livestock barns

• Adopt NEMA 4X rated (or equivalent) equipment panels and junction boxes protect electrical components from corrosive gas, moisture, and dust

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Electrical system maintenance• Barn electrical systems are not maintenance-free

• ESA or insurance provider inspections are available (and often required)

• Conduct a focused electrical system inspection every 3 years and repair all problems noted.

• Infrared thermal inspection of electrical system to identify hot spots (Farm &Food Care Ontario lending program)

Thank you for your supportBarn Fire Risk Reduction Advisory Panel

• OMAFRA: Colleen Fitzgerald-Hubble, Dan Carlow, Jacqui Empson Laporte, Steve Beadle, Vicki Hilborn, Dan Ward

• Farm & Food Care: Bruce Kelly• Insurance: Randy Drysdale (Farm Mutual Reinsurance), Jim Zyta

(Heartland Farm Mutual),• ESA: Malcolm Brown• Commodity Groups: Melissa Speirs (Ontario Goat & Veal), Sam Bradshaw

(Ontario Pork), Doug Ahrens (Ontario Pork), Frank Wood (Ontario Pork), Gayle Echer (Equine Guelph), Katherine Fox (Ontario Beef)

• Municipalities: John Elston (Middlesex FD), Jason Benn (North Perth FD), Chief DeBrouwer (Middlesex FD)

• MMA: Mohamed El Semelawy• OBOA: Matt Farrell• Tacoma Engineers: Steve Adema, Will Teron• MCSCS: Jay Current• Canadian Farm Builders Association: Tyler Griffith

Barn fire awareness: Call to action• Farmers adopt a fire prevention ethic on the farm

It’s Just Smart• Adopt the 10 Ways……..• Inspect panels every 3 years• Conduct thermal inspections• Change out high risk connectors with NEMA 4X• Farmers can be pro-active in prevention

Livestock Truck Accidents and Rollovers (project in progress)

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Accident Resources Available

Would you be interested in hosting a training session?

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• 6 one-day first responder training sessionso June (3) and September (3) o Livestock truckers June (1) and

September (1)• Develop a training manual (FFCO)• Will attend 2 first responder tradeshows:

o Fire Fighters Association of Ontario Convention,

o Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs

This project was funded in part through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership), a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of the Partnership in Ontario.

Questions?

For more information, contact a member of the advisory group or Bruce Kelly at bruce@farmfoodcare.org