Gerald Bennett Chief GerryBennett@townshipleeds.on.ca Lansdowne, ON K0E 1L0

Wayne Shields  Chief Fire Prevention Officer (613) 382-8299 WaShields@townshipleeds.on.ca

 

The Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands Volunteer Fire Department has approximately 80 volunteer members. Department assets and personnel are spread throughout the Township at four stations;

• Station No. 1 at Lansdowne is equipped with five vehicles and a marine unit;
• Station No. 2 at Seeley’s Bay is equipped with four vehicles;
• Station No. 3 on County Road 32 is equipped with five vehicles and a marine unit; and
• Station No. 4 at Lyndhurst is equipped with three vehicles plus a marine unit.

Great emphasis is placed upon marine rescue and fire suppression because of the extensive waterways found within the Township. These range from the St. Lawrence River with summer residences on many of the Thousand Islands to cottages on inland lakes and along a portion of the Rideau Canal. Department personnel are trained and equipped for winter rescue in water or on ice. Further, there are defibulators in vehicles at all four stations so firefighters can assist emergency personnel at accident scenes or in medical emergencies.

The fire service was created by amalgamating two departments belonging to the historic townships that combined to form the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands on January 1, 2001. The blend of two into one progressed smoothly because of the similarity of operations and reliance upon the same training systems.

The department has benefited from the generosity of Township residents. Over the years, a Ladies Auxiliary as well as the Firefighters’ Associations have raised money for equipment and have helped cover budgetary shortfalls. Also, various organizations within the Township raise funds for the Fire Department.

 

ARE YOU PREPARED

for an Emergency?

Will you be Safe, Warm and Informed?

Government Emergency Plans assume all households will be prepared to do what's necessary in the first 72 hours of an emergency to protect life and property.  That's the reality, the new normal.

 Emergency Survival Checklist*

*Three day supply per person

⇒ Flashlight and Batteries	⇒ Food and bottled Water
⇒ Radio and Batteries or crank Radio	⇒ Clothing and footwear
⇒ Spare batteries (for radio and/or flashlight)	⇒ Blankets or sleeping bags
⇒ First-Aid Kit	⇒ Toilet paper and other personal items
⇒ Candles and matches/lighter	⇒ Medication
⇒ Extra car keys and cash	⇒ Whistle (to attract attention, if needed)
⇒ Important papers (identification)	⇒ Playing cards, games

 You will also need a backpack or duffle bag to hold all of the emergency survival kit items

For more information visit:  www.emergencymanagementontario.ca

 

The Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands Emergency Response Plan has been developed to provide guidelines to staff and members of the Community Control Group and to inform the community of the role of the Township during an emergency situation.   If you would like to view the emergency plan please click here.

 

TO BURN OR NOT TO BURN

 

The Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands strongly support both the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of the Environment in their collective position to discourage as much outdoor burning as possible.

 

You may be surprised to know that outdoor burning is one of the biggest sources of two dangerous toxins – dioxins and furans in our environment. Outdoor burning, whether done in the open, in a barrel or fire pit emits a host of other contaminants into our air as well, including carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These pollutants don’t just contaminate our air; they also end up in water and on our land. Additionally, each year in Ontario dozens of rural residents and cottagers damage forest lands and lost valuable buildings because of fires that could have been prevented.

 

If burning is your last resort – there are three types of burn permits available to municipal property owners.

 

1) Camp Fires and Outdoor Appliances Burn Permit

 

            Outdoor Appliances

 

-         Only wood that has not been altered except for size can be burned,

-         Shall be in good condition and have a volume no larger than ½ cubic meters,

-         Shall have heavy mesh screen with openings no greater than ¼ inch,

-         Shall have screen securely fastened to it,

-         Must be a minimum of three metres from combustibles and

-         Must be a minimum of ten metres from any property line.

 

Camp Fires

 

-         Only wood that has not been altered except for size can be burned,

-         Site must be cleared to the mineral surface,

-         Can not exceed a volume larger than one cubic metre,

-         Wood being burned shall not discharge large embers,

-         Must be a minimum of three metres from combustibles and

-         Must be a minimum of ten metres from any property line.

 

2) Incinerators

 

-         Consist of a metal container that is in good condition having a volume no greater than one cubic metre in size,

-         Shall have heavy mesh on top with openings no larger than ¼ inches and secured to the top of the incinerator,

-         Must be a minimum of ten metres from any combustibles,

-         Must be twenty metres from all property lines,

-         May only burn between the hours of sunrise and sunset.

 

3) Open Air Burning - Brush

 

-         Not allowed in Villages or built up areas,

-         Only when there is a minimum risk of fire spread,

-         May only burn between the hours of sunrise and sunset,

-         No open fire is to be located within 150 metres of any structure or property line unless the material to be burned is kept to one cubic metre in size or less in volume, then the fire may be located ten metres from combustibles and twenty metres from property lines and

-         Call 1-800-285-0774 the day you plan to burn, listen to the message and follow the instructions.

 

The following Criteria and Guidelines apply to all permits:

 

-         Plastics, rubber material, synthetic materials or household refuse is  prohibited,

-         Fire must be extinguished before leaving the site,

-         A responsible person shall always be in attendance,

-         Shovel/rake and water must be readily available at all times,

-         No burning shall take place when smoke may effect the visibility on roads or cause adverse effects on persons living in the area and

-         All permits are void during a burn ban.

 

Burn Permit Applications are available at the Township Administration Offices during office hours. Please take the time to read the Permit Criteria and Guidelines, as permits can not be issued for all property owners due to lot size and their location.

 

For more information, contact Leeds and The Thousand Islands Fire Service at 613-382-8299.