ST. PAUL - The St. Paul Fire Department is having another busy year.
The spring of 2023 was an especially busy, with the department being called out to 14 wildland fires, compared to 10 in the same timeframe in 2022.
"Certainly, this spring was a busy year with wildland and grass fires throughout the County,” according to Fire Chief Trevor Kotowich.
There have also been 10 calls for structure and vehicle fires in 2023, although 2022 saw 16 calls of a similar nature.
From Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, the St. Paul Fire Department responded to 32 motor vehicle collisions, compared to 30 in 2022.
Medical assists in 2023 are so far down, with 13 calls recorded in 2023, and 17 in the same timeframe last year.
Smoke and CO alarms are also a bit lower, with 21 calls recorded in 2023 so far, and 24 in 2022.
"We are pretty consistent to where we were at last year," says Fire Chief Trevor Kotowich, when speaking to the statistics.
With the retirement of three firefighters set to take place this year, the St. Paul Fire Department is hoping to fill a total of five positions with new recruits.
Applications will be accepted until the end of November, with new recruits starting in January of 2024. Applications must be picked up in person at the St. Paul Fire Hall.
Those applying to be a volunteer firefighter must be a minimum of 19 years old and have a valid class 5 Alberta Driver License. They must also meet the physical and medical fitness requirements established by the fire department.
A criminal background check may also be required.
Over the past year, the St. Paul Fire Department has also focused on completing the final stage of the Regional Fire Training Facility, which will add live-fire natural gas appliances, explains Kotowich.
“Firefighters from throughout the County [of St. Paul] and beyond come here to train, so having a facility like this locally helps us immensely,” he adds.
