Brought to you by City of Saskatoon
Saskatoon Fire Department: Building for the future

As communities change and grow, it is important that fire departments innovate to meet the ever-evolving needs of the areas they serve. Being an all-hazards emergency response provider that includes 140 Primary Care Paramedics within the 285 Firefighting Operational staff, the Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) is holistic in its approach towards serving its community and building for the future of Saskatoon.

The SFD serves a city that is growing in population, geographical area, and diversity. In order to meet emerging needs, the SFD has had to offer additional supports and expand in response to the evolving demands of its dynamically changing community.

Social advancements

Homelessness, substance use disorders, and mental health are social issues that continue to impact communities across Canada, including Saskatoon. To address these complex needs, the SFD has continued to reach beyond the traditional emergency response duties and has evolved into proactive community partners. This has been achieved through the Community Risk Reduction and Emergency Management teams within the SFD. The experience has reaffirmed collaboration between community-based organizations, levels of government, businesses, and the entire community. These partnerships have fostered a continuum of care to help manage life safety issues and connect individuals to the necessary wrap-around supports that they need. Together, partners from across the community contribute to a more compassionate and holistic approach to community safety and well-being.

Saskatoon Fire Department’s Regional Resiliency Specialist, Adrian Waskewitch performs the Grass Dance at Fire Station No. 6. Photo courtesy of the City of Saskatoon

Another area the SFD has made strides is towards Reconciliation. In alignment with Saskatoon City Council priorities, the SFD has committed to reviewing and revising policies and practices relative to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. The SFD’s new Fire Station No. 5 is a shining illustration of the SFD’s commitment to future-oriented infrastructure initiatives while maintaining a deep respect for its truth and reconciliation journey.

The SFD’s Fire Station No. 5 is a state-of-the-art facility that officially opened this fall. It replaced a 56-year-old facility and came as a result of a review of SFD’s operations in 2014 leading to the development of a new service model to improve the fire service’s travel times across the city.

A highlight of the building is a dedicated cultural space that was designed to include a central tiled circle and is equipped with ventilation to accommodate smudging ceremonies. The perimeter of the room features artwork created by students from local Oskāyak High School. This shared space will be used by the SFD and the University of Saskatchewan, who own the land where the station is built. When available, it will be open for public bookings by residents and community groups.

This is a welcomed addition to the City of Saskatoon’s infrastructure and is indicative of the SFD’s commitment to serving the community they operate in.

Technical advancements

SFD is a respected leader amongst Canadian fire services. Through mitigation, prevention, collaboration, and education, they have a proven track record with their all-hazard, multisectoral response model.

The evolution from a traditional fire service to this multisectoral response model has created a need to evolve the SFD’s training system. The combination of greater training requirements and increased calls for service dictates the need to optimize training through an interdisciplinary approach, creating efficiencies to facilitate the delivery of current and evolving training needs.

Saskatoon Fire Department relocates Station No. 5. The move involved building a new fire station with the goal of strengthening neighbourhood amenities and improving response times. Photo courtesy of the City of Saskatoon

On Sept. 21, the SFD officially broke ground on a regional training facility located north of Saskatoon in the RM of Corman Park. Located on 40 acres of land, these new training grounds will provide dedicated indoor and outdoor spaces for consistent, controlled training 365 days a year.

Through this ground-breaking development, the SFD is building for the future. The new facility will widen the range of training opportunities for SFD staff and other regional partners such as fire departments, public safety agencies, and industrial responders.

The establishment of this facility supports working agreements with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), allowing SFD the ability to certify firefighter skills for staff and explore pre-employment training and education for potential candidates. This will create the opportunity for future firefighters to receive their pre-employment certifications in Saskatchewan.

The realization of the Regional Training Facility reaffirms the SFD’s commitment to safety and will lead to continuous education opportunities that promote equity for all and support the values of diversity and inclusivity in the workplace.

To learn more about how the Saskatoon Fire Department is building for the future, please visit saskatoon.ca/fire.

Saskatoon Fire Department participates in the annual Walk Your Roots event each year in celebration of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Photo courtesy of the City of Saskatoon