May 31, 2024, Toronto — Toronto Fire Services operations divisions will welcome 104 new firefighters into their ranks today. They become members of the largest fire service in Canada and the fifth largest fire service in North America, employing over 3000 people and serving more than 3 million residents, the department said on their website. The graduation ceremony will be joined by Toronto Fire Chief Matthew Pegg, Mayor Olivia Chow, and Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher, the city said in a release. The event will be held on May 31 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Toronto Fire and Paramed ..read more

May 30, 2024, Frankfort, Ill. — Chief Fire Prevention Officer Ryan Schell from the Central York Fire Service in Ontario has been selected as the first Canadian recipient of the Bringing Safety Home award presented the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Fire Sprinkler Initiative and the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC). The award honours fire safety advocates in North America who diligently promote the importance of home fire sprinklers and use HFSC educational material, NFPA data, and Fire Sprinkler Initiative resources to educate decision-makers about the importance of home fir ..read more

May 30, 2024, Halifax — A new consultant’s report lays out how to improve emergency management in the Halifax Regional Municipality, a day before the anniversary of a major wildfire that tore through the suburban community of Upper Tantallon. CBC News reports. | READ MORE This article was originally posted by the CBC on May 27, 2024 ..read more

May 29, 2024, Strathcona County, Alta. — Strathcona County became the first Canadian community in 2024 to receive the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) specialized training in wildland urban interface wildfires. The program, Responding to the Interface, is being held from May 27 to 30, and will provide firefighters with insight into the approaches and tools necessary to fight wildfires that burn in areas where communities meet grasslands and forest. “We are very proud to host this training,” said Martin Paulson, Strathcona County fire chief. “Strathcona County has a large WUI w ..read more

May 28, 2024, Edmonton — A pair of new University of Alberta studies show how to make firefighters’ clothing safer to wear, maintain and manufacture. One study revealed that some fibres used in the protective gear break down when exposed to warm water, showing what can happen to the garments over time, during real-life firefighting scenarios and laundering. The other study analyzed the water used in the manufacture of fibres, identifying a handful of harmful dye compounds leaching from the fabrics that could weaken their protective qualities. “The findings of both studies show vulnerabilities ..read more

Cancer continues to be the biggest killer of Canadian firefighters while mental health issues are spiking upwards, according to a new study of health insurance claims. Released in April 2024 by the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU), the report Firefighter Occupational Injuries and Fatalities: Analysis of Accepted Claims, 2007-2021 reviewed 15 years of claims data from the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC) and WorkSafeBC (WSBC) to identify the causes of deaths and injuries among Canadian firefighters. In line with previous research, the report pinpoints ..read more

Camp Molly has expanded its presence across Canada, now offering its four-day free experience for women and non-binary youth to explore a career in the fire service in 10 different cities. Camps will be hosted across three provinces, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan, and three of those camps will specifically be for Indigenous youth. The camp provides an opportunity for those aged 15 to 18 to meet and engage with strong female role models in their community. The free four-day experience relies on sponsorship and donations from the community and fire service organizations. Monique Belair,  ..read more

May 27, 2024, Alberta — Wildland firefighters are going into the 2024 wildfire season unprepared, said the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) in a news release. The AUPE called attention to what they described as a retention and recruitment crisis experienced by the province, with experienced workers moving to other agencies including the government of British Columbia and Parks Canada based on better wages, benefits and working conditions. The province confirmed in a Global News article that the starting salary for a seasonal firefighter in Alberta is $22.44/hour, and the cap for th ..read more

May 24, 2024, Calgary — Calgary Fire Department plans to put a Pierce Volterra Electric Pumper into service this summer, the first placement of the company’s electric model in Canada. Calgary is the fourth department to receive the Volterra, following Madison, Wis., Gilbert, Ariz., and Portland, Ore. Manufactured on a Pierce Enforcer custom chassis, the pumper is equipped with a parallel-electric drivetrain with a 244 kWh-battery solution and a patented electro-mechanical infinitely variable transmission. Other features include a 500-gallon water tank, Waterous CMU 1500 GPM two-stage pump, Hus ..read more

May 24, 2024, Midland and Penetanguishene, Ont. — The towns of Midland and Penetanguishene have issued a joint request for proposals to determine whether to continue with their current shared fire service model or pursue a partial or complete separation of operations. The study will examine the specific needs of each community, including a thorough evaluation of current fire services in both municipalities, and investigate different options for the delivery of safe, effective, and efficient performance. Objectives of the study include recommendations and business cases for each model, costing ..read more