Fire department training hours rose twelve percent in 2022 as members dedicated over 5600 hours to their community

The Whitecourt Fire Department’s annual report is presented to Town Council each year. The
information enables Council to see training hours completed, projects, public engagement, and calls for
service over the previous twelve months, detailing the hard work achieved by department members.
Fire Chief Brian Wynn, Deputy Fire Chief Aaron Floyd and Director of Community Safety Lee Hardman
joined to provide the update.
“I want to express my gratitude to all members of the fire department for their significant contribution
to this community and keeping it safe,” began Hartman. He pointed out that three department
members had received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Award (Fire Chief Brian Wynn, Deputy
Fire Chief Aaron Floyd, and Captain Bill McAree).
The Whitecourt Fire Department has served the municipality since 1958 and has become a shining
example in the province, with members achieving hundreds of hours of training. Last year, when all
hours were counted for training, meeting, public education, work party and response times, the final
count reached 10,639 hours. The dedication by members to rack up extensive hours as they do, all to
keep the community safe, as dedicated volunteers, is top-notch.
Fire Chief Wynn said he was glad to have members back to regular training hours since the pandemic.
He said members did tower training, wildland-urban interface structure protection training, water
rescue and nozzle training and that several members had taken the Red Cross Advanced First Aid, which
is 80 hours.
Training alone totalled 5671 hours for department members, a twelve percent increase from 2021.
Members train in various formats, including attending conferences, third-party instructor courses, in-
house training, and weekly competency training. Members have used large buildings in the community
for things like tower training, allowing members to become comfortable with the far reach of Tower 1.
An image in the report showed a training exercise at the four-storey Kanata hotel. Chief Wynn called the
highly trained membership the “backbone of the fire department.”
Throughout 2022, the Whitecourt Fire Department responded to 343 calls in the region. The list was
divided into 25 categories, including gas leaks, false alarms, hazards, vehicle accidents, and different
assist calls. “If we look at the total call response by type, there is a couple of things that we are seeing.
One of them would be our ambulance assists. In 2020, we had 47. In 2021, we had 119; last year, we
had 126. That is a trend that is greatly rising that is going to affect our service and what we can do.”
The second response by type that Chief Wynn brought attention to was motor vehicle accidents. In
2021, Chief Wynn said there were 69. In 2022, there were 85.
Public education is a big part of life as a firefighter, bringing safety awareness to youth. Chief Wynn said
that with lifting restrictions, the crew returned to the schools for in-person fire safety presentations,
presenting to 1,015 students between kindergarten and grade 6. The department worked with students
from both school boards and did demonstrations and fire hall tours. Sparky the Fire Dog is always a

massive hit with children. “Sparky is definitely recognized within the community by all the kids. It’s great
to see that he is a welcome part of the department.”
Along with education, department members work hard to build community spirit by engaging with the
public regularly. The Whitecourt Fire Department participated in the Whitecourt Chamber’s 2022 Trunk
or Treat, climbed the CN stairs in gear for the Annual Firefighter Stairclimb Challenge, and assisted with
the firework displays, including Canada Day and New Year’s Eve. Last year, members also helped drive
the decommissioned Engine 3 to Mazatlán, Mexico, so it could still see use in its retirement. They also
worked alongside Students Against Drunk Driving (SAAD) during Candy Cane Checkstop, handing out
treats while reminding motorists to drive sober.
Additions to the equipment arsenal in 2022 included a Wildfire Structural Protection Unit (sprinkler
trailer) thanks to a $100,000 grant (Intact Municipal Climate Resiliency). The department also added
tablets to all apparatuses (vehicles) to enhance communication and availability of
communication/mapping/tracking information.
For 2023, Fire Chief Wynn said they had brought in some new game-changing equipment. Hydraulic
extrication tools with new battery-powered technology provide greater portability than corded tools,
are faster to respond with and are 30 percent more powerful. Chief Wynn and Deputy Chief Floyd
brought a device to show Town Council how it worked.
The department has also ordered a replacement for their ARGO ATV. The new unit will be a side-by-side
model with tracks. It will be outfitted with a mobile water supply and pump while still maintaining the
ability to carry a patient on a stretcher. “We are waiting on a delivery date. With extended deliveries
right now, it could be anytime from now until August. As soon as it gets here, we will be training our
members on it before we put it into service.”
Chief Wynn added that the department completed an organizational assessment of post-traumatic
stress impacts on members. He said they would develop a resource guide thanks to the Alberta
Supporting Psychological Health in First Responders Grant Program funding.