OLDS — The town has a new deputy fire chief and she has a background not only in fire-fighting but also in the military.
Stephanie Bibault was introduced to town council during its July 4 policies and priorities meeting.
Bibault began her new job June 28. This new position was approved by council last December.
Her responsibilities are training as well as support services, including emergency management, health and safety as well as fire prevention and education initiatives.
“The fire department has developed a growing need for additional full-time staff to support the paid-on-call members and meet the increasing demand for services with higher call volumes as a consistent trend for a busy municipality," fire chief and protective services director Justin Andrew wrote in an email to the Albertan.
Andrew said the Olds Fire Department responded to 435 incidents in 2022 and is already expected to exceed that number this year “if current activity continues.”
“Supporting the paid-on-call members that are the backbone of our fire services is crucial and will help reduce operating costs in the future by maintaining the premise that the majority of firefighters are only summoned when required," Andrew wrote.
“Our desire as a department and as a community needs to focus on ensuring that we do not suffer the consequence of not being able to maintain our paid-on-call operating model by losing members, due to added stress and demand for their valuable time.
“If we can alleviate those pressures with a few administrative staff, our hope is that we don't have to summon the firefighters as often, taking them from their busy lives, jobs and family.”
Originally from St. Catharines, Ont., Bibault began her fire career in Comox, B.C. after completing training at the Canadian Forces Fire Academy and Algonquin College.
During her career, she has been stationed in Petawawa, Ont., Esquimalt, B.C., Cold Lake, AB., and Edmonton, where she was a dedicated firefighter, fire instructor, and emergency management leader.
Bibault has been on several deployments, both domestically and internationally with the army, navy and air force “and has a passion for helping others in any capacity she can,” a biography of Bibault supplied to the Albertan said.
Bibault has a Master of Arts degree in disaster and emergency management from Royal Roads University, where she reviewed ways to increase disaster and emergency preparation and mitigation strategies, and how to help communities with project planning, risk management, community resiliency and sustainable recovery.
“We are excited to have Stephanie join our team and community and to add someone that has had experience serving in the Canadian Forces brings many new opportunities to us in Olds,” Andrew wrote.
Andrew introduced Bibault to council during the July 4 meeting.
“I think she would agree that we’ve exposed her to all sorts of things, including a tornado response, right out of the get-go,” Andrew said.
“She came back today which I was really glad. I was worried,” he added, sparking some laughter.
Mayor Judy Dahl and deputy mayor Darren Wilson welcomed Bibault to town staff.
“We look forward to working with you over the coming days, weeks and months and many years ahead,” Wilson said.
Bibault thanked council for that welcome.
“I am very humbled and truly honoured by this opportunity to serve with such a great team and my family and I look forward to calling the beautiful town of Olds home,” she is quoted as saying in her bio.
