DIDSBURY -- The Didsbury Fire Department (DFD) has been working diligently at increasing member numbers and bringing policies and procedures up to standards, according to a recent update given to council.
In the last quarter of 2018, DFD responded to 58 calls bringing the total 2018 call-outs to 206, stated Deron Reimer, acting fire chief and manager of protective services, in a report reviewed by council on Jan. 22.
The department ended the year with 35 members, including four returning members and six new recruits, Reimer reported.
“The six new recruits are nearing their completion dates for pagers which require training. Each week and over a number of weekends, they have worked diligently to complete the requirement to obtain pagers.”
The report also included a description of a number of recent public events the DFD participated in including the Fire Prevention Week open house, where guests were given a vehicle extrication demonstration and treated to a free barbecue.
Also during Fire Prevention Week, nearly 100 children from local daycares and schools visited the fire hall where they were shown valuable fire safety skills and given tours of the building and trucks.
The report states that the DFD has undertaken the development of a number of health and safety policies and procedures including:
• In the process of completing numerous formal hazard assessments pertaining to various tasks and jobs associated with firefighting, fire training, as well as specific job descriptions.
• The development of training hazard assessments to identify and document any hazards pertaining to training nights which allows the department to stay compliant with Occupational Health and Safety when off-site with site specific hazard assessment.
• Generating new policies for approval by council.
• Creation of a chief’s action log.
• Development of three committees, one under each deputy chief: recruitment, retention and entertainment; equipment; and health and safety.
• Creation of a code of conduct.
• In the process of completing a safety code accreditation and application for updating the fire department quality management plan for the Town of Didsbury for fire safety that was last updated in 1995.
• Participation in the functional emergency management tabletop exercise.
On Jan. 23, the DFD switched to the new Alberta First Responder Radio Communications System (AFRRCS).
Mayor Rhonda Hunter said it’s good to see the fire department’s recent accomplishments.
“I never doubted they would sort out their issues and I believe most of the community has confidence in them as well,” she said. “With a leader like Deron Reimer, manager of protective services and acting fire chief, who has the respect and support of his entire team, the Didsbury Fire Department can look forward to continued success in all aspects of their roles. It goes without saying that all that the DFD members are doing is and will continue to be an integral part of that success.”
