(rdnewsNOW/Ian Gustafson)

By Ian Gustafson

Local Innovator

Fire & Flood Emergency Services Ltd. holds live demonstration, announces expansion

Sep 10, 2025 | 3:14 PM

Big things are on the horizon for Fire & Flood Emergency Services Ltd.

Terry Raymond, founder and president of the central Alberta-based organization, announced they will be expanding outside of Canada for the first time.

They’ve formed a U.S. headquarters in Shafter, Calif., which is located near Bakersfield. They built a team and are working with various agencies in California to work on forming a future partnership in the state.

He made the announcement at a live demonstration held at their location in Red Deer County Wednesday morning.

“The expansion down there is really exciting and we look forward to developing it and developing partnerships with public private agencies,” he said.

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“California is going to be a big undertaking. We’re in central California, but we’re hoping to expand northern and southern as well. And then expand from there out with international opportunities in Australia and other states in the U.S.”

While in California, they’ll be looking after all-hazard situations such as flooding objectives, pre-planning with agencies, community protection, and reactive response in communities that are threatened. They’ll respond to wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and rescue missions.

“We’re self-contained, self-sufficient. We rely on no other people for our own effectiveness. Once set up and deployed, we look after things while those resources can go to other places and help,” he added.

He explained, to be operational in California, they’ll need 50 to 100 people, which adds on to the 75-100 employees they have in Canada.

Fire & Flood Emergency Services Ltd. was originally founded in 2016 after Raymond was inspired by the wildfire crisis that happened in Fort McMurray.

Since then, they’ve expanded across western Canada in places like Kamloops, B.C.and High Level, Alta. They’re also exploring possible expansion to Thunder Bay, Ont. this fall.

Plus, they’ve been awarded patents in Australia and soon in the United States.

The patented technology is for their mobile hydrant system which shoots out a high volume of water through water cannons that lowers the temperature and reduces dryness in the area for the purpose of fire suppression. This is done through an eight-inch adapter or larger at 80 PSI that changes the ambient temperature.

“I think this company’s timing, demonstrated ability, and proven methods are going to be a force in the future to help with these devastating wildfire and flooding events,” Raymond added.

Approximately 200 people including MPs, MLAs, First Nations Chiefs, and stakeholders from Canada, Australia, and the U.S. were in attendance for the live demonstration.

This included demos of flood mitigation, technical rescue, and wildfire suppression where they saw the patented system in action and a helicopter-assisted wildfire suppression example.

Ponoka-Didsbury MP Blaine Calkins spoke at the event and said central Alberta is home to the most industrious and hardworking people in the country.

“It’s solutions like Fire and Flood is providing that will help property owners and governments cope when Mother Nature throws a wrinkle into our plans,” he said.

MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake Devin Dreeshen also addressed the crowd and said Raymond and Fire & Flood Emergency Services Ltd. has transformed fire fighting in Alberta.

“When we used to look at Alberta Wildfire, it was just about protecting the forests and it wasn’t integrated with structural fire protection. The important work that Fire and Flood can do, is what really has reformed and changed how we fight fires here in the province.”

Grand Chief of the Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta, Trevor Mercredi, explained the nation and Fire and Flood have worked on a relationship with the goal of improving fire fighting capabilities of both the nation and the organization.

“A large portion of the firefighters in Alberta’s fire fighting organizations are Indigenous people. A huge percentage of them are on the ground and they have been for many years fighting these fires,” Mercredi said.

Finally, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith addressed those in attendance through a video message. She said it’s important to have a strong defence against natural hazards, which includes innovators like Fire and Flood.

“[Their] technologies and techniques helped to support emergency response efforts. Albertans have already seen the value when Fire and Flood helped to protect the town of Drayton Valley during the unprecedented wildfire season in 2023,” she said.

“I want to thank you for everything you do to help keep our province safe and resilient. I encourage you to keep innovating. It makes a huge difference.”