Red Deer County Fire Department, Red Deer, Alberta

Be a resident of Red Deer county, living in the "Red Deer Fire Area" or a resident of the city of Red Deer in a location that you can respond promptly to the assigned fire station.
Have obtained a minimum of grade 12 or equivalent
Be a minimum of eighteen (18) years of age
Be able to meet the fire departments physical agility requirements
Be able to obtain a medical examination certificate proving he/she is fit to participate in firefighting activities and
Be prepared to commit the necessary time and effort involved in being a volunteer firefighter.
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Is there anything else that will aid in my chances of being a successful applicant for the fire department?

Yes, obtaining one or more of the following will help your chances.

Hold a valid first aid/CPR certificate
Hold a valid class 5 drivers license
Have an air brake endorsement certificate
Hold recognized certificates for firefighting courses
Live and or work in locations in which response times would be beneficial to the fire department.

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I do not meet all the above criteria, can I still apply?

Yes, we strongly recommend that you still fill out the application form. The first step is to complete the application form and return it to Station One.

Where do I send my completed application?

It can be mailed to: Red Deer County, Fire services, 38106 Range Road 275 Red Deer County, AB. T4S 2L9. If mailed, please mark the envelope with: "confidential, re: application" in the bottom left hand corner of the envelope. Or, you can drop off the completed application form at Station One, located at 19 St. and 30th Avenue. Our office hours are 0800-1200, 1300-1630 hours, Monday to Friday.

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I have filled out my application, now what happens?

All applications are passed on to the District Fire Chief and/or the Fire Services Manager. They are reviewed on an ongoing basis and kept on file for future reference. Successful applicants are contacted to participate in the interview process which may occur at any time throughout the year.

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Should I include a resume with my application?

Yes, it definitely gives you the opportunity to make us aware of your capabilities and background.

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I have been accepted for an interview, what can I expect?

The first step is the personal interview. The interviewing committee is comprised of the Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief, and a minimum of two of the captains. It is however possible that both the Chief, Deputy and all captains are present for the interview. The interviews are held at Station #1. The interview itself is a typical interview, both parties get a chance to ask questions and receive answers. You will be notified within the next week if you were successful to continue on to the next step.

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I have completed my interview and I have been asked to come to the fire station for a job related physical test, what can I expect?

We test basic job related skills in this phase. We realize that you may not have any firefighting skills at this point, but it is not a big problem, we will take you through step by step. We are not testing your technical skill, but we are checking to see if you can physically do the skill. We check three areas; the first is to see how you handle heights, the second is on upper body strength, and lastly we check how you do in confined spaces. This is not a stress test, just a basic physical job related test.

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If I am successful with the physical testing, what happens next?

If you are successful in the interview and the physical testing, you are well on your way to becoming a volunteer firefighter. The last phase requires you to provide a current drivers abstract, a letter from your family physician stating that you can medically partake in the activities of a firefighter, and finally a criminal records check by the RCMP. We have basic letters explaining what is required for both your family physician and the RCMP. You will have to pay the costs of obtaining these items. A drivers abstract will cost you approximately $12, because you are a volunteer there is no cost for criminal records check, and a medical done by your physician will vary in cost.

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I have delivered my drivers abstract, medical and criminal records check to the fire department, now what happens?

These three areas are reviewed by the fire department administration. If favorable, you are assigned to a fire station as a probationary firefighter. The officer in charge of the "new recruit training" will set up the dates for the training and advise you when and where to attend.

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How long does it take from the time I drop off my application until I am accepted to the fire dept?

Applications are accepted any time during the year. Interview dates are determined by the District Fire Chief and/or the Fire Services Manager and may vary from year to year based on the needs of the Fire Dept. Once interviewed, if accepted, you will be assigned to a station and new recruit training starts shortly afterwards.

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How much time will I be expected to contribute?

Members of the fire department are expected to attend as many fire practices as possible during the course of the year. Fire practices or training occur every Tuesday evening, starting at 1900 hours and normally go to 2200 hours. New recruits are also expected to attend the "new recruit" orientation program. This training is scheduled over several evenings, in such a way that everyone has the opportunity to attend all sessions.

When you are available you are expected to be on voluntary call, for any emergency calls that occur in the Red Deer Fire Area.

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How many calls does the County respond to in an average year?

It depends in the year, hot dry spring conditions usually increase our call volume substantially because of grass fires. An average year would be approximately 80-100 actual responses.

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Am I expected to attend all emergency calls?

No. There are 4 fire stations located around the city of Red Deer. You will be assigned to one of these stations. When the call comes in, the closest station will respond with back up from at least one other station. If you are assigned to station 1, you can expect to respond to approx. 60-70% of the calls, the other 3 stations will respond approx. 50-60% of the time.

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I am not around all the time, or I work shift work, or at times I would just not be available to respond to calls or attend the training sessions, does this pose a problem?

No. Most of our current members also have similar times when they are not available for calls. The administration of the fire department watches this area very closely. If a member is not very active or does not attend many of the calls, they could be asked to step down from their position as a volunteer firefighter. This doesn't happen very often. We realize that your family and work comes first, all we ask is that you make an honest effort to attend as many functions and calls as possible.

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I have never belonged to a fire department or never had any special training dealing with fire emergency's, am I wasting my time applying to be a volunteer firefighter?

No, definitely not. We have our own in house training programs and practice sessions to educate you on the job of a volunteer fire fighter. This is an ongoing process within our department. The more time you invest, the quicker you will learn. As stated before, a successful applicant will be expected to attend the "new recruit orientation training" this will give you the very basics of firefighting. You will expand on your knowledge at the practices held every 2nd Tuesday evening. We also hold extension courses from the Alberta Fire Training School (AFTS) on a regular basis. In total this is an 11 week training package that meets the professional qualification for a fire fighter, as set out by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Of course we do not expect everyone to pursue this goal of taking all 11 weeks of training. We normally hold the first 3 weeks of this training on an annual basis. We teach these courses on weekends, trying to fit in everyone who wishes to participate. We can not hold all the training locally due to cost restraints and because we do not have all the facilities available to do the specialized training. Occasionally people are sent up to AFTS in Vermillion for their training. It is expected that you take these first 3 weeks of training in the first two years as a member of the county fire department.

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I did not realize that you have 4 fire stations, where are they located?

Station 1 is located on 19th street and 30th Avenue or Secondary 595 and range road 272. Equipment located at Station 1 consists of 2 tankers, 1 pumper and 1 rapid response unit.

Station 2 is located in the subdivision of Poplar Ridge, located West of the City of Red Deer. This station has 1 pumper.

Station 3 is located in the subdivision of Central Park, located North of the City of Red Deer. This station houses a tanker/pumper.

Station 4 is located at the old military base of Mynarski Park. The residential side is now called Springbrook, and the new owners of the base buildings are calling their area the Harvest Park Business Centre. This station is located South of the City of Red Deer, along Hwy 2A. This station houses 1 pumper and 1 airport crash truck.

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What type of calls do you respond to?

The county fire service does not respond to highway traffic accidents or to medical emergencies under normal conditions. The City of Red Deer fire department provides this service to the county residence around the City of Red Deer. We do respond to vehicle fires, grass fires, structure fires, emergencies at the airport, carbon monoxide and smoke alarms ringing. We respond to many types of emergencies.

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Are there any full time staff working on the fire department?

Yes, the Fire Chief and a shared Secretary. The administration office is located at Station 1.

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I am a little apprehensive about being the new kid on the block.

This is not a big problem, we usually try to bring a group of people on at one time. As a group you will go through the recruit training no matter what your experience or background are. The instruction of the new recruit training is done by some of the officers and senior firefighters. In a short time you will get to know all your fellow firefighters. Firefighting is a vast and varied field of expertise, we don't expect you to learn it all in a short period of time. You don't become a firefighter over night, and the members that are here now know that, so you do not have to worry about being asked to do something you do not know how to do. After your orientation, recruit training, and attending a few regular practices you should start to feel fairly comfortable with the whole atmosphere of being a volunteer firefighter.

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What are the duties of a volunteer firefighter within the county fire department?

As a volunteer firefighter you will: Respond to emergency calls regarding fires within the Red Deer Fire Area, from time to time you will also respond into other fire areas as outlined in our mutual aid agreement, you will train towards professional qualifications for a firefighter as set out by the NFPA standards, you will be part of a team that keeps the units ready for the next emergency call, as a team member you will keep the fire station neat and tidy, you may be placed on a special committee to look after items such as communications or self contained breathing apparatus, and other related duties.

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What items will I be specifically trained in as a volunteer firefighter?

There are many areas that you will be trained in, some of them are: use of self contained breathing apparatus, search & rescue, ropes & knots, radio communications, the structure of command, basic pump operations, working from hydrants, working from draught, hose laying, hose loading, operation and selection of nozzles, driving, ventilation, structure suppression, fire prevention, overhaul, ladders, salvage, foam, extinguishers, dealing with flammable products and many more. The training is an ongoing process, and you should be continually learning for as long as you are involved with the fire department.

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How many volunteer firefighters are on the department?

We maintain approximately 40 volunteer firefighters to provide coverage for the Red Deer fire area.

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What area of the county of Red Deer does the Red Deer Fire Area provide fire coverage for?

The North boundary is the Red Deer River or the County of Lacombe/County of Red Deer border. The East boundary is 3 miles East of Secondary 816 or Range Road 250. The West boundary is range road 10, or the beginning of the fifth meridian. The South boundary is along Secondary 592 and Hwy 42. We cover approximately 239 square miles of the County of Red Deer, which surrounds the City of Red Deer. This area has an approximate population of 7750 people.

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How long do you keep completed applications on hand?

Normally we will keep all applications for a one year period.

If you have any questions regarding the application form or any of the process of being a volunteer firefighter please do not hesitate to give us a call at 343-6667. Our Chief or our Deputy Chief will be glad to answer any questions you may have.

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