Petition calling on City of Red Deer to address alleged understaffing within RDES, catches fire

The issue is important to Robertson because her husband and son work at Red Deer Emergency Services, both of which she says are affected by the changes.

“I started the petition as a next step effort in trying to get the mayor and council to listen to us,” she said.

The petition says the city has failed to fill longstanding vacancies, which have left essential services to operate with limited resources.

In an effort to address the issue, the City of Red Deer implemented the Emergency Services Dynamic Staffing model on Jan. 6, 2025, and it was approved by city council.

On the city’s website, they describe the model as a cost-saving measure in the 2025 Operational Budget, which aims to reduce overtime hours with the goal to support and promote staff health and wellness while maintaining core emergency services.

The petition says the model has resulted in entire fire stations being shut down, engine crews that are undermanned, and ambulances unavailable for full shifts.

This is said to include Engine 2 that was allegedly operating understaffed for its third night in a row on Thursday, according to the Red Deer Firefighters Union Local 1190 on Facebook.

Thursday also marked the 27th time this has happened at the Engine 2 station since the beginning of January, says Robertson.

“It’s definitely getting to [my husband and son]. There’s an added element of fear to the job when you don’t know if backup is going to arrive in time or if you’re going to be able to help those who need your help because you’re running on a two-man crew and are waiting for more to come,” she said.

“However, they continue to step up and do their job and they will never stop because they care so much about the community.”

In March, 80 per cent of members in the Red Deer firefighters union chose to express non-confidence in the city’s chief firefighter and his deputies.

The petition is calling on the city to not only scrap the dynamic staffing model, but to acknowledge the non-confidence vote.

The petition also calls for the city to recognize that closing fire stations, removing equipment from service, or running undermanned engines is not a responsible decision.

“They can reverse this dynamic staffing policy immediately. Yes, overtime will go up again but at that point their department will be operating with a safe staffing level and their firefighters won’t be at risk, nor will their citizens. The stations also won’t be shutdown anymore,” Robertson added.

She invites the city to sit at a table with the people this policy affects the most, the firefighters and Red Deer residents, to work towards a sustainable plan.

“If they properly staff the fire department, they won’t be paying overtime anymore,” she said.

Meanwhile, in a Letter to the Editor to rdnewsNOW, Red Deer resident, Megan Gassor, called on city council and Mayor Ken Johnston to prioritize public safety over cost saving measures that could cost lives.

“Emergencies don’t wait for optimal staffing conditions — and neither should our city’s fire services. The City of Red Deer’s move to ‘dynamic staffing’ may look efficient on paper, but in reality, it creates dangerous gaps in emergency response,” she wrote.

“No statistic or budget line will matter when seconds count and there aren’t enough trained professionals ready to respond. Firefighters deserve better. So do the citizens they protect. Reverse this decision before tragedy forces a change. Red Deer deserves better.”

In an emailed statement from City Manager Tara Lodewyk, she said public safety and the safety of their emergency responders remains a top priority for the City of Red Deer.

“Red Deer’s dynamic staffing model allows us to provide 24/7 emergency coverage, meet or exceed response time standards, and respond to the changing nature of calls – most of which are medical,” Lodewyk wrote.

“We understand the concerns raised through the recent petition and social media, and we appreciate the community’s passion for strong emergency services. While online petitions are not covered by legislation in Alberta, we remain committed to transparency and accountability. That’s why we’ve launched new reporting at reddeer.ca/emergencyservices, where residents can access data and updates.

“We remain open to ongoing dialogue and focused on ensuring Red Deer remains a safe, responsive, and well-served community.”

by Ian Gustafson

Petition calling on City of Red Deer to address alleged understaffing within RDES, catches fire

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