City of Fairmont, West Virginia, swears in Brian Starn as new Fire Chief.
City of Fairmont, West Virginia, swears in Brian Starn as new Fire Chief.
Fire Chief, Ashley Wohlgemuth, of Barriere recognized for 25 Years
Fire Chief Ashley Wohlgemuth of Barriere was recognized for 25 Years of dedicated volunteer service.
Terrace hires new Deputy Fire Chief Joel Brousson
Joel Brousson has wanted to be a firefighter since he was eight years old.
Joel Brousson is the new deputy fire chief of the Terrace Fire Department as of Oct. 26, 2023.
Joel Brousson replaces Dave Jephson who is winding up a 30-year career with the department.
Brousson has been acting deputy chief since Oct. 2 and formally assumed the position Oct. 26.
Firefighters sounding the alarm over staffing level
Cochrane firefighters are raising concerns about the necessity for increased manpower to cope with rapid urban expansion, citing it as a critical matter for public safety.
He notes that the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) standard prescribes one firefighter per thousand people, while Cochrane presently operates with six-member crews. This number further diminishes to five or even four during instances of sickness or members attending training courses. Chyka emphasizes the ideal need for 10-member crews.
Vancouver Island fire department challenged by soaring overdose calls
The number of medical aid calls addressed by Nanaimo Fire Rescue is rapidly increasing, along with the associated response costs.
During a Nanaimo city council meeting on Monday, November 6, Fire Chief Tim Doyle presented a report, requested earlier in the spring, which council deemed disheartening but insightful.
The report aimed to provide a breakdown of the financial expenses incurred in responding to medical calls and explore potential avenues for the city to recuperate these costs from the province.
Though winter is coming, fire crews are on the lookout for zombie fires that can spring back to life
While the official end of the wildfire season in Alberta has been announced, Firefighters remain vigilant, monitoring for underground fires that could potentially reignite come spring.
Beneath the surface, fire may still smoulder in organic material known as peat, which has become increasingly susceptible to combustion due to prolonged drought conditions.
The reduction in temperatures does not guarantee the complete extinguishment of peat fires, emphasizing the ongoing need for caution and monitoring.
Moncton researchers developing artificial intelligence to fight wildfires
In New Brunswick, a group of researchers is pioneering an innovative strategy to address the escalating wildfire risk in Canada: instructing artificial intelligence to identify them more swiftly.
Engineers at the Université de Moncton are refining an algorithm designed to work in conjunction with satellite and drone imagery, surpassing human accuracy in detecting wildfires. The technology not only identifies fires but also forecasts their potential spread, assisting firefighters in strategically deploying resources.
Alberta wildfire season ’10 times more severe’ than recent averages, province says
The official conclusion of Alberta’s 2023 wildfire season on October 31 was marked by a staggering record: 1,092 wildfires consumed an unprecedented 2.2 million hectares, as reported by the Alberta government.
While the total number of fires aligned with the five-year average of 1,100 for the 2018-2022 period, the extensive area burned witnessed a tenfold surge compared to the 190,000-hectare average during the same timeframe. The province characterized this season as “10 times more severe,”.
Rebuilding process in the Shuswap following wildfires expected to be lengthy
Following the destructive fire in the Shuswap community of British Columbia, residents affected by the disaster now face new hurdles as they begin the rebuilding phase.
In an effort to accelerate the reconstruction process, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District has removed a temporary moratorium on building permits in the south Adams Lake and Shuswap Lake areas to carry out geotechnical assessments.
These assessments have uncovered an elevated risk of unstable grounds in the North Shuswap and some of its adjacent areas.
High school students learning to become firefighters
Every Friday, nearly a dozen students from Livingstone Range School Division are enrolled in firefighting training and gather at the Granum fire hall for three hours. During these sessions, they learn the ins and outs of the profession.