(rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

part of recurring may to september issue

Red Deer emergency services chief & association address Station #2 staffing challenges

Jul 20, 2024 | 12:15 PM

Gaps in full coverage at Red Deer’s Fire Station #2 are part of an unfortunately regular cycle, the municipality’s protective services division is saying.

Ken McMullen, chief of emergency services, says the issue — one which the public has not made any formal complaints about — reoccurs every year from May to September when more members are away from home.

Overtime shifts are then offered for those still around, but the rate at which members are taking on those OT shifts has slowed dramatically, he says.

McMullen confirms that this ends up primarily affecting Fire Station #2, which is located at 5839 67 Street, in the neighbourhood of Highland Green.

“There have been times where the station has not been fully staffed,” admits McMullen, particularly as of late, though he can’t quantify the number of closures and disruptions, nor the lengths of them.

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“Station locations are determined based on response capacities, so stations that were built in the city years ago were done based on the standards of the day, but standards change and evolve over time.”

The City of Red Deer adheres to two specific standards, the first being Alberta’s High Intensity Residential Fires (HIRF) requirements, plus its own Effective Response Force policy.

Prior to this story, rdnewsNOW received an anonymous email regarding the matter of disruptions at Station #2. The anonymous person claimed effects on response times and effectiveness,

McMullen says despite minor delays, no negative or adverse outcomes have occurred due to any gaps in service out of Station #2.

He explains too that members are assigned each day where they are needed most, as opposed to being affixed to working at just one station. If an engine goes out with two people (a ‘support company’) that pair must wait for another engine to arrive before entering the structure that is on fire, he adds.

“It’s not that staffing at Station #2 is always low, it’s that our staffing for the entire system is low, which means the impact goes to Station #2,” he says.

“This situation is not acceptable to me as the chief of the organization, however there are things that are outside of control. Any time we are at less than five fire trucks ready, 24 hours a day, it’s not meeting my level of acceptance.”

Red Deer Emergency Services (RDES) is currently in the process of adding 10 more to its roster of about 185 firefighters, all of whom are cross-trained as paramedics.

The department has hired 32 people in the last 2.5 years, and seen a net increase around 23.

Red Deer firefighters are represented by IAFF Local 1190, with 16-year member Stephen Belich serving as local president.

Belich says another factor causing disruptions at Station #2 is the stress of the job, which has prompted a good number of folks to take leave due to physical injuries and mental health reasons.

“It’s a big concern when we are closing the hall down or running it with decreased staff. It’s a safety concern when it comes to our members showing up at a fire scene with just a couple of people and not a full engine,” he says.

“We do have redundancies and halls that are close by, but it does take a few extra minutes for them to get over there.”

Belich, describing the situation as, “the perfect storm,” says they hope to find the right strategy so as to prevent physical and mental health problems. The City offers therapy and peer support for members, and discussions are constantly being had about what could be added.

The mental health aspect is also precisely why, he says, people aren’t taking advantage of overtime shifts.

“With the environment we’re in as first responders, you just need that time to recharge,” he says. “If you’re taking those shifts on your days off, you’re not recuperating or spending time with family.”

Despite the circumstances, Belich and McMullen agree that the dedication of RDES members to prevent tragedies and maintain an excellent level of service is second to none.

“The reason why we haven’t had those tragic outcomes is because of the professionalism and dedication of our members to deliver top-notch services to the citizenry. We take a lot of pride in our department,” says Belich. “Yeah, we have some very negative situations at times, but it’s on the men and women we have to make sure those don’t turn into something worse.”

For McMullen, whether it’s firefighters on the streets, dispatchers or maintenance staff, their work is tireless.

“We understand the risks. We identify them, and we even have mutual aid, not that we want to use that. But right now, we have members who are not able or not willing to come to work at a rate that, quite frankly, I just haven’t seen before. It’s a sign of burnout,” he acknowledges.

“More staff is not the answer. On paper, we have more than we need to staff everything 24 hours a day.”

That’s where the other means of prevention come in.

“This isn’t about us versus the association. We talk to the association daily about operational issues and concerns, and we have conversations about solutions with respect to people coming to work if they’re sick, injured, or whatever the case may be,” says McMullen.

“I sleep at night knowing we that the city is protected and that our department does everything we can to protect it. We’re all doing our best.”

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