Wetaskiwin Fire Services

We are delighted to announce the addition of 8 new recruit firefighters to our team in the paid-on-call firefighter position. These dedicated individuals have chosen to serve our community and play a vital role in ensuring the safety and well-being of all residents. Our new recruit firefighters will continue to undergo rigorous training and have demonstrated their commitment to serving others. They have embraced the challenges and responsibilities that come with being a paid-on-call firefighter, and we are proud to have them as part of our team. As members of the public, we rely on the selflessness and bravery of these individuals to respond to emergencies promptly and effectively. Their dedication to protecting lives, property, and the environment is commendable and we are grateful for their willingness to serve.

We would also like to express our gratitude to the families and loved ones of our recruited firefighters. Their unwavering support and understanding are crucial in enabling our firefighters to fulfill their duties effectively.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about Wetaskiwin Fire Services, please do not hesitate to reach out. We are here to serve and ensure the safety of our community.

Once again, we extend our warmest welcome to our new recruit firefighters. Together, let us appreciate their commitment and dedication to keeping our community safe. 

Recruitment 2023: recruitment is currently closed. Thank you for your interest in joining our team. Subscribe to City news with Notify Me to be instantly alerted when our next round of recruitment starts.


Wetaskiwin Fire Services protects the community by providing emergency response services to residents within the City limits and approximately 3,000 people in County of Wetaskiwin’s Zone Two fire protection area.

E-911 service is provided to residents through a contract with City of Red Deer Dispatch Services and Telus Communications. The E-911 centre takes the calls and relays them directly to the fire department via two-way radio system.

The fire department is currently composed of a full-time Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief, three full-time firefighters, and paid-on-call firefighters.

Calls

Firefighters responded to 690 calls in 2021. The types of calls the department attends include:

  • Structure fires
  • Motor vehicle collisions
  • Vehicle fires
  • Hazardous material spills
  • Grass and brush fires
  • Smoke investigations
  • Medical/RCMP assists
  • Dumpster fires
  • Alarms ringing
  • Miscellaneous public support calls
  • Mutual aid
  • Ice rescue
  • Down powerlines

When firefighters are paged, they rally to their assigned fire station, gear up, and jump on the trucks. The fire department tries to maintain a response time of less than 10 minutes within City limits.

Training

Training sessions are conducted every Thursday night to keep up skill levels. Formal training is conducted within the department through online courses and practical skill training (with certification through the Office of the Fire Commissioner). Accredited courses are also held in the City or in surrounding municipalities.

Fire Prevention

Fire prevention activities include school tours of the fire station and presentations at local schools. Company inspections are conducted upon request. Annual inspections are completed for high risk buildings. Safety codes inspections are also conducted upon complaint or request, to ensure compliance with the Alberta Fire Code.

For information on fire safety, please contact us at 780.361.4429.

Useful Links

Did you know?

Fire lanes are in place to provide access to firefighting apparatus and personnel, EMS, and law enforcement in the event of an emergency situation. Fire lanes provide unobstructed access to the fire department connections, which are located on the exterior of the building. These connections are for the sole purpose of providing the fire department the ability to connect supply hoses to the building to support the sprinkler and stand pipe systems.

Are fire lanes marked? Yes. On the exterior of the building or near the curb side. Signage is made visible to indicate the presence of a fire lane and that parking is not allowed.

Is there a fine for parking in a fire lane? Yes. Under municipal bylaw, the fine for parking in a fire lane is $300.

Who can issue these violations? Any member of the RCMP, Alberta Sheriffs, Community Peace Officers, Municipal Bylaw Officers, and the Fire Services who carry bylaw authorities.

False or Unwanted Alarms

Did you know that about 90 per cent of the alarm calls to which the Wetaskiwin Fire Services responds turn out to be false alarms? The majority of false alarms can be attributed to one of the following causes:

  • System malfunction
  • Construction or renovation work
  • System testing
  • Water leak impacting the alarm system
  • Operator error
  • Cooking
  • Steam (do not install a smoke alarm directly outside a bathroom)
  • Dust on a smoke alarm (often caused by contractors working on site)
  • Smoking in the home (near a detector)

Although smoke alarms in single family homes are not required to be monitored under the Alberta Fire Code, many homeowners choose to have a monitored fire alarm. If this applies to you, ensure that your monitoring company is instructed to attempt to contact you or a designated person at your home, or a trusted neighbour, in order to verify a fire condition or confirm the fire alarm is a false, or “unwanted” alarm.

These unwanted alarms create a burden for the Fire Services, preventing the department from being available to respond to a true emergency. Furthermore, homeowners can be billed under the provisions of the City of Wetaskiwin Fire Services Bylaw No. 1987-20  for false alarms, with escalating fines depending on alarm frequencies per calendar year to a given address. If the monitoring company cannot reach a contact person, fire crews will be dispatched.

Fire Service Advisories

Wetaskiwin Fire Services encourages all residents to take care and precaution in their daily lives to prevent unnecessary risks and accidents. For tips, advice, and other information relating to safety and prevention please refer to the links below. If you require further information, please contact our department at 780.361.4429.