Vernon fire inspection goes high tech

Vernon Fire Rescue Service (VFRS) inspectors have traded pen and paper in for electronic tablets in an effort to streamline inspection and pre-planning efforts.

At the start of 2020, VFRS refined its database of inspectable properties and initiated the use of a new mobile inspection platform called APX.

The technology is in use by fire departments across North America, and facilitates an efficient inspection program with modern documentation and statistical analysis capabilities. lt allows VFRS to create, store and use fire pre-incident plans as required by the B.C. Fire Commissioner’s Office.

An operating guideline was created to provide a “risk based compliance monitoring system” to inspect buildings for compliance with the Fire Services Act and the City of Vernon Fire Services Bylaw #3635.

The COVID-19 pandemic halted fire inspections in mid-March. The inspection’s COVID safety plan is being updated to facilitate resuming fire inspections on a priority basis in the near future. Due to the pause, inspection timelines will be extended approximately six months.

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The fire prevention officer has continued to perform fire inspections based on a priority basis and in response to complaints.

The fire service reports that in the first nine months of the year it investigated 42 separate fire incidents with a total estimated loss of nearly $482,000.