Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (Community Conversation)

Written By Salimah Valiani

Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS) is a key service that we all rely on when there are emergencies. Not only does EFRS respond to fires, their team is involved in medical, hazmat, water, ice rescue responses, along with fire prevention and education. 

With a dry summer last year, and wildfire season starting earlier this year in Alberta, I wanted to have a conversation with City’s Fire Chief Joe Zatylny to talk about EFRS, their emergency management response, but also the changing context for Fire Rescue as the climate and social contexts change. For example, last year we had a number of grass and wildfires in Edmonton, in Alberta, and also in neighbouring jurisdictions, like the Northwest Territories which resulted in thousands of people being evacuated to our city. The context of support that EFRS provides is changing, and they continue to remain agile, stepping up to ensure the safety and well-being of Edmontonians.

During this conversation we touched on a lot of topics, including wildfire response, fireworks safety, emergency management, medical response, fire prevention week, fleet and facility maintenance and growth, and much more. We have compiled the highlights below.

Introduction to Edmonton Fire Rescue Services [timestamp @ 6:00]

Did you know EFRS includes ~1300 people? There are the firefighters on the frontline responding to calls, but also emergency communications officers, fire prevention teams who provide education and ensure people are following fire codes, emergency management planners, and staff who support equipment and fleet maintenance. 

The context for EFRS has been changing in recent years. With a Housing and Houselessness emergency, EFRS has seen more encampment fires and injuries occurring. With the Drug Poisoning crisis, there have also been more calls for medical services including overdoses. This is different from what firefighters might have seen 5-10 years ago.

Wildfires, Fire Bans and the Changing Climate [timestamp @ 9:15]

Since last year’s evacuation from Yellowknife, wildfires have been a topic that is top of mind. This year, the Government of Alberta also declared the start of wildfire season earlier than usual, and we are seeing droughts happening in southern Alberta. We know climate plays a role in what we are seeing, and also the resources we need to respond to these different emergencies. 

What are the impacts of wildfires and the changing climate that we are seeing in Edmonton and what do we expect for this summer? [timestamp @ 10:15]

  • We are anticipating one of the driest seasons we have seen in Edmonton. Last year their team supported wildfire response in Edmonton, but also across the Province and Nationally. 

  • One of the primary concerns each year is the River Valley. When a wildfire starts in the River Valley, it can start moving through the area quickly with the right ground fuel, impacting the homes and communities that are located beside it. 

  • EFRS is getting resources prepared for this season, and seeing where else investments can be made, like sprinklers, training for staff - anything to help mitigate fires if they occur. 

We recently talked about a Sole Source Agreement with the Red Cross for this year - why is this important? [timestamp @ 12:20]

  • Last year we had thousands of evacuees come to Edmonton - this number requires a lot of logistics so that people can be properly supported, get what they need, and also find a space to transition to.

  • With Edmonton as a major hub to the North, we are relied on a lot in Alberta. This agreement with the Red Cross helps us be better prepared, and so that not all responsibilities are falling onto municipalities and we are ready to mobilize. 

Fire bans in Edmonton - will we see one this year, and how can Edmontonians help prevent fires? [timestamp @ 14:00]

  • At this time it is too early to tell if there will be a fire ban. The EFRS has dashboards and indexes which provide data on weather, fuel and humidity, and also monitor call volumes throughout the year - this helps the team to determine what needs to be done in order to support fire prevention, like enacting a ban.

  • We need Edmontonians' help this year so we can prevent wildfires, and manage emergencies effectively. You can learn more about wildfire prevention, and how you can do your part at edmonton.ca/wildfires. 

Fire Rescue Services and Medical Response [timestamp @ 18:45]

We recently had a big discussion at the Community and Public Services Committee about the EFRS and their response to medical emergencies. Last year EFRS responded to 95,496 calls for services, and 69% of those were medical calls; nearly 24,000 were not immediately life-threatening. Now, EFRS and AHS are enacting a 4-point plan to prioritize responses, so that EFRS can focus on their core mandate. You can read the full report from this meeting here. 

Can you explain to Edmontonians what this discussion on medical responses will mean, and what they can expect to see? [timestamp @ 19:25]

  • Right now, EFRS staff are getting tied up in medical calls that are not always life threatening, and detracts from the resources available when a fire call comes in. In comparable jurisdictions, they found that fire departments are not going to as many of these calls. Their team is assessing if firefighters need to be activated for certain non-critical responses, when there are others who can provide the same support, and avoid the duplication of resources. 

  • If EMS or AHS partners are unable to get to a call - fire services will still be responding to support Edmontonians. However, they are being more mindful to ensure resources are deployed effectively. 

  • Out of the 95,000+ calls last year, about 15,000 calls were opioid or drug poisoning related. 

  • Cities continue to face challenges and responsibilities which are outside of their jurisdiction like health - this is where fire services are stepping in [side note: in the last year, the City spent $28 million responding to health related calls which fall under Provincial jurisdiction].

  • As we find ways to better coordinate between systems, like with EMS partners, they will be better able to address call and response times. 

Replacing Capital Equipment [timestamp @ 24:40]


With a greater number of calls, can you tell us about the impacts on our capital equipment? [timestamp @ 25:35]

  • Capital equipment across the City is aging and costs have significantly increased. When you start to see increasing call volume, over 20% like we saw recently, then your wear and tear on equipment goes up, along with your fuel costs and your maintenance costs. Something we also don’t think about is the ‘wear and tear’ on staff as we see a greater call volume. 

  • There is a regular replacement cycle where equipment is replaced based on their standard life cycle. Their team does not want to wait too long to replace, especially because sometimes it is more costly long-term to continue to fix items versus just replacing them. EFRS follows best practices and a typical replacement schedule. 

How is the growth of the City impacting capital equipment - are there challenges? [timestamp @ 27:37]

  • The Cumberland and Walker fire station projects were supported in the 2023-2026 budget cycle. We will see new stations and new equipment come with these investments which is great. [Side note: The Walker Fire Station is a project happening in Ward Karhiio! I’m excited to see a new fire station come online soon to help respond to the needs of the growing south].

  • With sprawl outwards, there comes a need to build stations in certain places to ensure response time is appropriate, and to curb call volume.

  • To understand the needs of the City, the EFRS monitors the call volume from different areas to see where supports are needed. Right now the target for EFRS is to have a first arriving unit within 7 minutes of a call, and a full complement of staff within 11 minutes. This is constantly assessed across the year to make sure the units are in the right places to address the needs of Edmontonians. 

Check out this recent article about replacement for Edmonton’s Fire Fleet (Edmonton Journal).

Fireworks Safety [timestamp @ 33:15]

“Fireworks can be extremely dangerous and disruptive to individuals, property and the environment if not used or handled correctly. Under the City of Edmonton’s Public Places Bylaw 14614 and Community Standards Bylaw 14600 , any use of fireworks without proper permitting is illegal and subject to enforcement which can include fines of up to $10,000.

Only professionals (Natural Resources Canada certified) with an approved fireworks permit issued by Edmonton Fire Rescue Services are allowed to use fireworks in the City of Edmonton.”

Last fall, there were a number of grass fires which occurred due to fireworks misuse. Can you talk about the response last year, and how are we as a city addressing this? [timestamp @ 34:00]

  • Fire services are taking an approach to better regulating the use of fireworks, so that they can be safe. EFRS came to Community and Public Services Committee in 2022 to ask that only professionals be allowed to use fireworks, as they are trained to follow safety procedures.

  • Their team has updated the public messaging on fireworks in recent years and are doing more proactive education which is seeing success. This is alongside conversations with community partners, faith groups, and vendors so everyone is on the same page. 

  • Learn more about fireworks regulations at Edmonton.ca/fireworks. And continue to send in tips via 311, or in an emergency 911 as this data helps to inform where there are gaps, and opportunities for education. 

Check out this recent article about fireworks and grass fires in Edmonton (Edmonton Journal).

Milestones from the last year for Edmonton Fire [timestamp @ 44:30]

  • Supporting wildfire evacuees in Edmonton - the EFRS and City came together, and provided immense community support. Edmonton firefighters were also deployed to help with wildfires nationally [timestamp @ 44:40]. 

  • The Community Property Safety Team’s work on fire prevention at vacant properties saw great results - there was a 33% reduction in deliberately set fires in the targeted areas which was a strong return on investment [timestamp @ 45:10].

  • Opened the Windermere fire station last year, which is our first net-zero fire station [timestamp @ 46:10].

  • Edmonton won the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs Award for Equity Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace [timestamp @ 46:30]. 

  • Supporting reconciliation through partnerships with Enoch Cree Nation - together they are building more capacity in the region for fire services, and collaborating on how they can mutually support each other. This last year, they launched Miyowatisiwin Camp Inspire - a firefighting camp designed to promote firefighting as a viable and rewarding career for Indigenous Peoples and attract them to fire rescue services [timestamp @ 46:50].

  • EFRS also operates Camp Inspire, for women and gender-diverse individuals who want to learn more about fire services as a career, and see if it might be a fit for them. The EFRS has doubled the number of women on the frontline [timestamp @ 48:40]. 

What is one thing you wish more Edmontonians knew about Fire Rescue? [timestamp @ 50:20]

  • A simple tip that many of us forget is to check your smoke alarms once a month! When responding to structure fires there is often a low rate of working smoke alarms.

  • You can learn more tips on fire safety and prevention during Fire Prevention Week which happens each October across the City. Check out last years resources at edmonton.ca/firepreventionweek.

Resources

City of Edmonton 

Salimah Valiani
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