Vancouver firefighters responded to five major fires, seven dumpster fires, and over 250 other calls within a 24-hour period this week. The union representing the firefighters highlighted the need for more resources, especially downtown, due to the high volume of calls. Over the period, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services dealt with 14 fires, including several with heavy smoke, flames, and urgent rescue needs.
The NFPA® awarded the 2024 Fire Protection Research Foundation Medal to the project on Validating Cleaning Procedures for Firefighter PPE. This project focused on identifying and removing persistent contaminants from firegrounds to enhance firefighter health and safety. The award was presented to Jeff Stull, Crystal Forester, Jay Tarley, and Marni Schmid at the NFPA Stars at Night awards ceremony during the 2024 annual NFPA Conference & Expo.
Martensville Fire Chief Kurtis Dyck has retired from active duty after over three decades with the department.
Defiance picks their new Fire Chief as Shawn Wittkop –
Saskatoon Fire Department announces Doug Wegren as their new Fire Chief.
After 40 years on the job, longtime Hay River, N.W.T., firefighter and former Fire Chief Ross Potter
Peachland hires new Fire Chief Ian Cummings.
Peachland’s new fire chief will get to work on May 27.
Ian Cummings, currently the chief for Armstrong-Spallumcheen, has been hired for the top job in Peachland.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency visited Franklin County for its second AFFF takeback program, part of a statewide effort to eliminate aqueous film-forming foam.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees claims Alberta’s wildfire force is understaffed and undertrained due to recruitment and retention issues. High turnover drives firefighters to leave for better-paying, more stable jobs in B.C. or with Parks Canada.
Gavin Hojka, an Alberta wildfire incident commander, said firefighters were surprised by the speed of this year’s fire near Fort McMurray, which burned through the path of the 2016 blaze. Despite reduced fuel, the extended drought intensified the fire, known as MWF-017, making it more aggressive than expected.