There are no upcoming events right now.
Why not post one?
Recent Articles
- Justice for Indigenous Peoples is Long Overdueby Ryan McGreal, published June 30, 2021 in Commentary
(0 comments)
- Third-Party Election Advertising Ban About Silencing Workersby Chantal Mancini, published June 29, 2021 in Politics
(0 comments)
- Did Doug Ford Test the 'Great Barrington Declaration' on Ontarians?by Ryan McGreal, published June 29, 2021 in Special Report: COVID-19
(1 comment)
- An Update on Raise the Hammerby Ryan McGreal, published June 28, 2021 in Site Notes
(0 comments)
- Nestlé Selling North American Water Bottling to an Private Equity Firmby Doreen Nicoll, published February 23, 2021 in Healing Gaia
(0 comments)
- Jolley Old Sam Lawrenceby Sean Burak, published February 19, 2021 in Special Report: Cycling
(0 comments)
- Right-Wing Extremism is a Driving Force in Modern Conservatismby Ryan McGreal, published February 18, 2021 in Special Report: Extremism
(0 comments)
- Municipalities Need to Unite against Ford's Firehose of Land Use Changesby Michelle Silverton, published February 16, 2021 in Special Report
(0 comments)
- Challenging Doug Ford's Pandemic Narrativeby Ryan McGreal, published January 25, 2021 in Special Report: COVID-19
(1 comment)
- The Year 2020 Has Been a Wakeup Callby Michael Nabert, published December 31, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
- The COVID-19 Marshmallow Experimentby Ryan McGreal, published December 22, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
- All I Want for Christmas, 2020by Kevin Somers, published December 21, 2020 in Entertainment and Sports
(1 comment)
- Hamilton Shelters Remarkably COVID-19 Free Thanks to Innovative Testing Programby Jason Allen, published December 21, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
- Province Rams Through Glass Factory in Stratfordby Doreen Nicoll, published December 21, 2020 in Healing Gaia
(0 comments)
- We Can Prevent Traffic Deaths if We Make Safety a Real Priorityby Ryan McGreal, published December 08, 2020 in Special Report: Walkable Streets
(5 comments)
- These Aren't 'Accidents', These Are Resultsby Tom Flood, published December 04, 2020 in Special Report: Walkable Streets
(1 comment)
- Conservation Conundrumby Paul Weinberg, published December 04, 2020 in Special Report
(0 comments)
- Defund Police Protest Threatens Fragile Ruling Classby Cameron Kroetsch, published December 03, 2020 in Special Report: Anti-Racism
(2 comments)
- Measuring the Potential of Biogas to Reduce GHG Emissionsby John Loukidelis and Thomas Cassidy, published November 23, 2020 in Special Report: Climate Change
(0 comments)
- Ontario Squanders Early Pandemic Sacrificeby Ryan McGreal, published November 18, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
Article Archives
Blog Archives
Site Tools
Feeds
By highwater (registered) | Posted August 23, 2012 at 11:30:17 in reply to Comment 80006
Fascinating article.
In addition to public health, one of the main motivations behind the construction of Hamilton's original waterworks was to provide reliable water infrastructure for firefighting. The cost of fire insurance for businesses was prohibitively high due to the high frequency of fires at that time.
The construction of a reliable water system was a signal to businesses and insurance cos. that Hamilton was 'open for business', and the Gore Park fountain was built to drive the message home.
The article also put me in mind of an interesting email exchange I was copied on several years ago, between the head of our neighbourhood association and the fire chief at the time, about the hundreds of illegal student rental houses in our area.
Because they are considered 'family' homes, there are no fire exits, and many students live in basements and attics with only one means of egress, low ceilings, doors and windows too small to meet code, and in some cases, no windows at all. And of course, many of them are older homes with knob and tube wiring.
In spite of all this, the Fire Chief told our NA president that the fire dept did not consider students to be at higher risk because they are 'young and educated'. It was very surprising to learn that the fire dept (at least at that time) considered the socio-economic status of the residents to be a far bigger determinant of risk of fire, than the safety of the buildings. He also did not seem to factor in students' increased alcohol consumption - one of the main causes for the increase in fire-related deaths associated with the holidays.
I should add this exchange took place several years ago before the tragic house fire in Ainslie Wood that killed 5 people, and the two subsequent student house fires - one of which the students in the basement rooms only narrowly escaped.
If the fire dept. is still basing its risk assessments on the socio-economic status of the residents, this makes the removal of an apparatus from ward 3 all the more questionable.
Comment edited by highwater on 2012-08-23 12:02:33
Permalink | Context