Fire personnel are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to emergencies. Several areas provide support including training, equipment, technology, mapping, data and analytics, and accreditation.
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services is 1 of only 9 internationally accredited fire departments in Canada as of March 2020. Our world-class services include:
With one of the best training programs in the country, we ensure our personnel are equipped with the skills they need to succeed throughout their careers. Do you want to be part of an innovative, caring, committed, community-minded team? Join our team and help make Edmonton one of Canada's most livable and safe cities!
Fire Rescue Operations provides front-line firefighting response to a range of emergency events, including:
After leaving the fire station, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services first responders are targeted to be on scene within 4 minutes travel time to initiate emergency medical or fire rescue services. In the case of a fire, a crew of 16 firefighters is targeted to be on scene within 8 minutes travel time.
The Hazardous Materials Team (HAZMAT) responds to any release that poses a hazard to people (life), property or the environment. Examples include, but are not limited to:
The team responds out of Fire Station 10, where specialty trucks and equipment (including a self-sufficient, mobile decontamination unit) are available.
Current training is customized to meet the vast needs of the region and industries surrounding it, and exceeds National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) specifications.
HAZMAT also supports central and northern Alberta and Northwest Territories by responding to incidents, providing expertise and technical equipment as requested by individual municipalities, and is supported by all levels of government.
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services has specialized water and ice rescue teams. Water Rescue training is provided to personnel to safely and effectively perform rescues in ponds, lakes, streams and rivers in all environmental conditions, including ice rescues.
The North Saskatchewan River is serviced with a specialized watercraft and supports rescues when ice and ice floes are not present.
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services' Technical Rescue Team (TRT) operates out of Fire Station 3. In addition to their regular fire crew duties, the team also serves to respond to TRT-related events where they act in a support or specialty role. They are generally dispatched to trench collapse, confined space and heavy lifting events.
The team currently operates within 8 distinct disciplines, including:
The TRT also supports other Alberta municipalities (when requested) by responding to incidents, providing expertise and technical equipment as requested.
Technical Services manages all Emergency Response Communications, call evaluations, dispatch services, public safety technology and mapping, as well as continuous improvement processes including fire accreditation and data analytics.
All 911 calls forwarded to Edmonton Fire Rescue Services are coordinated by the Emergency Communications Specialists at the Emergency Response Communications Centre (ERCC), commonly referred to as Dispatch Services.
ERCC's target is to evaluate a call within 60 seconds and dispatch fire crews within 30 seconds, 90% of the time.
The accreditation process demonstrates that Edmonton Fire Rescue Services strives to be a world-class fire service through continuous improvement. It is a testimony to each member's efforts to protect life, property, and the environment while making Edmonton a safer place to live.
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services has maintained its status as an accredited agency with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) since March 2010. CFAI requires Edmonton Fire Rescue Services to file an annual compliance report and apply for accreditation status every 5 years.
Collecting data and turning it into useful information is important for monitoring service and making decisions based on evidence within all areas of Edmonton Fire Rescue Services. Analysts within the area use a variety of data sets to produce regularly scheduled and as needed data.
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services uses a broad range of communication and information technologies. A team of engineers and technical specialists support radios, station alerting, traffic light pre-emption, mobile data terminals, dispatch radio consoles, and more. Work is done in collaboration with the City's Open City and Technology branch to support the many software applications used.
The production of paper and electronic maps provides responding crews with information about on call locations, routes, closed roads, fire hydrants, building details, and more. Maps are updated regularly throughout the year as new roads and buildings are built.
