Richmond Hill Trench Collapse

[resqteacher]

I know this is old news, but I do some training of Industrial Emergency Response Teams and am always trying to re-inforce the idea of knowing when to and not being afraid to call for more help. ie. Mutual Aid.
One example that I'd like to get more information on is the trench collapse that happened in early Dec 2003 in Richmond Hill. The vic was digging on his property with a backhoe, went in and the trench collapsed on him. Richmond Hill FD spent something like 9 hours trying to get him out due to further partial collapses. Ultimately the trench fully collapsed with his wife and daughter watching.
I'm wondering why Task Force 3 (Toronto HUSAR) wasn't activated and if this question is or has been asked at any sort of inquest.
Any info you could provide would be really helpful gang.

[Techy5]

Task force 3? hummm.. never heard them called that before. Vancouver would be 1, Calgary would be 2. When did Toronto obtain FEMA recognition status?

By the time the IC put in the call to TFS for hlp it was a little late in the day.

Get Lt to put you in contact with a Vaughan FF by the name of Andy Z... He was there. He told me the story first hand but if you hear it from me it would be second hand.

The head of Toronto's HUSAR at the time no longer holds that position. He had a fair bit to say about the subject to the media back then and I doubt he will be shy in talking about it now.

I can assure you of one thing. In no way shape or form could it be claimed that Toronto had an active, trained US&R team at the time of this incident. Many would feel (including those currently on the team) it would be a stretch to make that claim even now.

Drop your e-mail addy and I'll send you the names of those you need to talk to down in the smoke.

Dave

[iamvff]

I do believe Toronto is known as Task Force 3, it is expected that Manitoba will be task Force 4, Although that is has not been confirmed. and Montreal & Halifax will be 5&6 when the are developed. Just my input.

be safe
iamvff

[DoubleHelix]

This Andy Z you speak of was one of my captains at Humber's Pre-Service course. I think I remember him telling us that story. Great guy.

[Sparky2004]

That happened a few streets down from me. It was horrible.

[BillyBlazes]

Toronto is currently doing alot of training for the members of the HUSAR team Task Force 3. I am a member of the team and I have 6 weeks of training scheduled for this year alone.

I do not think that the HUSAR team was ready to go during the trench collapse. I do not think that the HUSAR team could have done anything more than the responding fire department did.

[colin911]

I do not think that the HUSAR team was ready to go during the trench collapse. I do not think that the HUSAR team could have done anything more than the responding fire department did.

That's not what one of your team members said in an interview shortly after the incident. Not sure of his name, and don't know if he's still around after his comments, but he was pretty sure that if the HUSAR team was called, that man would still be alive.

Billy, is the HUSAR team fully up and ready to go?

[scoop422]

I believe the HUSAR team member that made the comments was not from the firefighter contingent.

[BillyBlazes]

I know the firefighter that made those comments on the trench rescue. We graduated from the same recruit class 20 years ago. He is no longer involved with the HUSAR team he is now a training officer at the academy that teaches recruits.

Our department and the association both apoligized to the fire department for his comments in the media.

The team is doing alot of training this year to be fully operational.

[resqteacher]

Thanks for the continuing info gang. I really appreciate it.