Fire

Master
Plan
2021
City of Regina Policy
Title Fire Master Plan

Policy Tracking # This is the number that you will get from the City Clerk’s
Office to identify your policy document.
Version Final draft for input, October 2020

Link to the Official This fire master plan (FMP) provides further policy
Community Plan direction on the following Official Community Plan
Goals:
Financial Policies
• Goal 1 Financial Principles: Use a consistent
approach to funding the operation of the City of
Regina.
• Goal 2 Sustainable Services and Amenities:
Ensure that City of Regina services and
amenities are financially sustainable.
• Goal 3 Financial Planning-Ensure the
sustainability of the City by understanding and
planning for the full cost of capital investments,
programs and services in advance of
development approval and capital procurement.
• Goal 4 Revenue Sources: Ensure revenue
growth and sustainability.
Growth Plan
•Goal 1 Long Term Growth: Ensure that sufficient
developable land is protected for future city
growth.
• Goal 4 New Neighbourhoods and Employment
Areas: Ensure that new neighbourhoods and
employment areas maximize infrastructure
investments and quality of life though a compact
and integrated built form.
Community Priorities
• Goal 1 Support Regional Growth: Support a
more sustainable and beneficial approach to

Fire Master Plan June 2021

 growth within the region through collaborative
regional planning and service delivery.
• Goal 3 Joint Planning Area: Promote sustainable
growth and development patterns for the City
with the Rural Municipality of Sherwood (RM)
through effective joint planning.
• Goal 4 Resiliency: Build a resilient city and
minimize Regina’s contributions to climate
change.
Infrastructure
• Goal 1 Safe and Efficient Infrastructure: Meet
regulatory requirements and industry best
practices for design, construction, and operation
of infrastructure.
• Goal 2 Asset Management and Service Levels:
Ensure infrastructure decisions result in long-
term sustainability.
• Goal 3 Planned Infrastructure: The infrastructure
needed for growth will be planned form a long-
term perspective.
Land Use and Built Environment
• Goal 1 Complete Neighbourhoods: Enable the
development of complete neighbourhoods.
• Goal 6 Built Form and Urban Design: Build a
beautiful Regina through quality design of its
neighbourhoods, public spaces and buildings.
Housing
• Goal 5 Collaboration with Partners: Collaborate
with all levels of government and community.
Health & Safety
• Goal 1 Safety and Urban Planning: Improve
overall health of the public through urban
planning.
• Goal 2 Health and Environmental Impacts:
Minimize social and environmental impacts and
improve the health and safety of the city and
region.
Social Development
• Goal 1 Social Sustainability: Promote and
enhance social sustainability by recognizing that

Fire Master Plan June 2021

 quality of life in a community depends on both its
physical and community resources.
• Goal 5 Social Inclusion: Ensure that Regina is
socially inclusive and strives for social equality
regardless of age, ethnicity, religion, income,
sexual orientation, ability or family structure.
Realizing the Plan
• Goal 1 Plan Ownership: Foster Plan ownership
and execution by City staff and Council.
• Goal 2 Community Engagement: Support
community engagement to build ownership of
the Plan.
• Goal 3 A Living Plan: Ensure the Plan remains
current and relevant over its life.
• Goal 4 Monitoring and Tracking Success:
Ensure the goals and policies of this Plan are
realized.
• Goal 5 Phasing and Financing of Growth:
Support orderly and sustainable long-term
growth.
• Goal 7 Zoning Bylaw Compliance: Ensure that
the Zoning Bylaw facilitates development in
accordance with the goals and policies of this
Plan.
Service Level This FMP provides further policy direction on the
Definition following City of Regina services:
• Fire & Protective Services

Policy Owner Fire Chief

Next Scheduled This should be consistent with the information in the
Review implementation section of the FMP

Fire Master Plan June 2021

Acknowledgements
Emergency Management & Training Inc (EMT) would like to thank the public and
numerous community stakeholders that were involved in providing valuable
feedback for the development of this Fire Master Plan (FMP). The public and
stakeholder consultations were well attended and very successful in terms of
relevant feedback and visionary thinking for the future growth of services by the
Regina Fire & Protective Services (RFPS). Several recommendations provided in
this FMP were a result of discussions during public and stakeholder consultations.

Additionally, EMT wishes to thank all the staff of RFPS for their time, expertise,
and feedback through meetings, interviews, and questionnaires. The
administrative team and members of the International Association of Fire Fighters
(IAFF) 181 contributed positively and provided key information for this FMP
through the numerous meetings and questionnaires. Thanks to the Executive
Leadership Team for offering suggestions for strategic implementation.

Fire Master Plan June 2021

 Message from the Fire Chief
I’m pleased to present the Fire Master Plan (FMP) as a
blueprint for decisionmaking and a guide to help position
fire service for community and economic growth over
the next 25 years. The FMP includes a comprehensive
community risk assessment, research on best practices
from other municipalities, and input from key internal and
external stakeholders. Our goal was to develop a long-
range plan that identifies the Department’s future needs to
keep Regina safe.

Regina Fire & Protective Services (RFPS) has served Regina and the
surrounding communities as a 24/7 allhazards emergency response
agency since its inception in 1882. In addition to fighting fires, our
highly trained and skilled workforce responds to hazardous materials,
water/ice rescue, rope or confined space rescue, jaws of life calls,
and emergency medical response, including needle pick-ups. This
allhazards response provides an integrated approach to handling
dynamic and unpredictable events.

Risk reduction is another crucial component of RFPS. The Department

has developed and delivers leading-edge prevention, public education,
training, and emergency preparedness initiatives. These initiatives are
proactive, aiming to make the community a safer and more
welcoming place.

Within the RFPS, we are adapting to plan for the future of our city,
ensuring that the services provided meet the community’s needs and
mitigate Regina’s unique risks. As we look forward to the next 25
years of emergency services, the FMP will serve as a crucial road map
for all future decision-making and ensure that the Department remains
accountable and responsive to City Council and Regina residents.
I want to express thanks to all who have contributed to this vital
process. RFPS has a long-range plan to keep our communities safe
because of your service.

Layne Jackson
Fire Chief (Director)

Page 1
Regina Fire & Protective Services – Who We Are
Department Mandate:

RFPS delivers dynamic emergency response and

public safety programs with highly trained
personnel and industry best practices to preserve
and enhance life, property and the environment.
Making a Difference in our Community 24/7

Department Values:
We are caring, We are highly We are there when
respectful, and trained, skilled you need us. We
Professional

courteous to our professionals with a follow through and

Reliable
Caring

colleagues and wealth of experience are accountable to

compassionate and who focus on each other, our
empathetic to the excellence in every community, and the
people we serve. task. City of Regina.

RFPS Staff and Services

Regina Fire & Protective Services is an all hazards, 24/7/365 agency that
responds to over 5000 emergency calls for service each year. The Department
employs 256 active firefighters, seven fire prevention personnel, two emergency
management professionals, four civilian dispatchers, four training officers, two
public education officers, four mechanic and maintenance personnel and
approximately 30 other personnel in leadership, administration, and other
professional services.

RFPS Organization:
Suppression & Rescue Section:
Fire suppression; six types of technical rescue; hazardous materials (hazmat)
response; emergency medical services(EMS) response; dive recovery, public
education, company inspections

Prevention Section:
Fire inspection, fire investigation, plan review, code compliance

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 Emergency Communications Section:
Emergency dispatch; computer-aided dispatch (CAD); scene support to
Suppression & Rescue personnel

Emergency Preparedness & Business Continuity:

Emergency preparedness and business continuity; ensuring the City is prepared to
deal with all types of disasters that may jeopardize the municipality’s ability to
sustain essential services

Technical & Administrative Services Section:

Business support, financial management, technical/systems support, International
Fire Accreditation; business planning, quality assurance; long-term planning and
strategic initiatives

Training & Education Section:

Staff development and training, professional qualification standards, critical skills
maintenance and performance measurement, public education, community
partnerships

Safety & Logistics Section:

Effective asset management, logistical support and a proactive approach to
workplace safety, maintenance and mechanics personnel

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Executive Summary
In 2013, City Council approved Design Regina: The Official Community Plan
Bylaw No. 2013-48 (OCP) and set the foundation for long-term strategic direction.
This Fire Master Plan (FMP) consists of a review of the community and its fire
service that culminates into a 25-year plan for future opportunities for
organizational improvements over the coming years.

The RFPS FMP is a comprehensive document designed to support specific OCP

Policies, Priorities and Goals. As City Council has approved the OCP, it is critical
that the FMP defines and identifies service expectations for the next 25 years.

The RFPS FMP is not necessarily a commitment for future investment. This policy
direction will help inform decisions that are made by Council as part of the defined
budget process and over the course of their ongoing deliberations. Investments
will be reviewed each year through the City of Regina’s annual budget process
where Administration’s proposed budgets are vetted through a public consultation
process. Only after Council adopts the budget will investments be approved.

EMT has identified the relative policies, goals, and priorities of the OCP in relation
to the FMP, which include but are not limited to the mentioned links to the OCP.
The FMP sets out the short, medium, and long-term plans and strategies for
providing proactive fire services to the public and contributes to the OCP Policy
Goals and Priorities.

The FMP assesses present and future population statistics and anticipated growth.
It is a plan that also evaluates past and present service levels provided by the
RFPS, coupled with its service goals and expectations.

The plan’s outcomes will assist RFPS in establishing strategic priorities complete
with action plans. These shall be expressed in terms of goals, objectives, action
steps, resources (human and financial) and the timelines required to successfully
complete the priorities. Consultation and engagement with the general public is a
key component of the FMP.

Implementation of the recommendations will depend on the City’s resources and

ability to move forward with the associated recommendations contained within the
document. To assist with prioritization and implementation, the recommendations
provided by EMT are broken down into the following timelines:

• Immediate – should be addressed due to legislative or health and safety

requirements

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 • Short-term – 1 – 5 years
• Mid-term – 5 – 10 years
• Long-term – 10 – 25 years

This timeline approach will assist the Fire Chief, City Management, and City
Council in identifying budgeting forecasts (if any) related to each of the
recommendations. It will also assist with the prioritization of each
recommendation.

While municipalities have been challenged with COVID-19, core services continue
to serve their communities with critical emergency response functions. While some
departments have moved to virtual citizen interaction or reduced non-critical
services, fire departments have not had that ability. Whether it is fire inspections,
training, or emergency response, the activities of the fire service continue. In many
ways, the demands on the service have increased with the requirements for
firefighters to take additional precautions on medical and other public-facing calls.

Based on the information received during our stakeholder meetings, meetings with
the RFPS team, a review of supplied documentation, and reference to industry
standards and best practices, there are a total of 39 tactical guidelines organized
under eight strategic recommendations for consideration by the Fire Chief, senior
management, and City Council to guide RFPS into the future.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 5

Table of Contents
City of Regina Policy _________________________________________________ 0
Acknowledgements __________________________________________________ 1
Message from the Fire Chief ___________________________________________ 1
Regina Fire & Protective Services – Who We Are ___________________________ 2
Department Mandate: _____________________________________________ 2
Department Values: _______________________________________________ 2
RFPS Staff and Services ___________________________________________ 2
RFPS Organization: _______________________________________________ 2
Executive Summary __________________________________________________ 4
Introduction ________________________________________________________ 9
Review Process and Scope _________________________________________ 9
Performance Measures and Standards ________________________________ 9
Project Consultants ______________________________________________ 10
Recommendations __________________________________________________ 11
Recommendations Implementation Table ________________________________ 12
Guide to Implementation Table _____________________________________ 26
SECTION 1: Community and Fire Department Overview_____________________ 27
1.1 Community Overview ________________________________________ 27
1.2 Fire Service Composition _____________________________________ 32
1.3 Governance and Fire Bylaw ___________________________________ 34
1.4 Fire Department Coverage Areas ______________________________ 35
1.5 Communications/Dispatching Services __________________________ 37
Technology Consideration – Next Generation Communications (NG 9-1-1) ___ 38
1.6 Fire Service Agreements _____________________________________ 39
1.7 Emergency Medical First Response Services Agreement ____________ 43
1.8 Regionalization Considerations ________________________________ 44
SECTION 2: Planning _______________________________________________ 53
2.1 Three Lines of Defense ______________________________________ 53

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 2.2 Industry Standards and Best Practices __________________________ 54
2.3 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) _________ 55
2.4 Stakeholder Consultation _____________________________________ 57
SECTION 3: Department Staffing_______________________________________ 67
3.1 Staffing Considerations ______________________________________ 67
3.2 Professional Services Branch _________________________________ 71
3.3 Fire Prevention and Public Education ___________________________ 71
Technology Consideration _________________________________________ 81
Determination of Current Staffing Requirements ________________________ 85
3.4 Training and Education Division ________________________________ 87
Technology Consideration _________________________________________ 95
3.5 Suppression Division ________________________________________ 99
3.6 Health and Wellness _______________________________________ 102
3.7 Salary Compression________________________________________ 103
SECTION 4: Community Response ____________________________________ 104
4.1 Fire Suppression/Emergency Response ________________________ 104
United States Residential Sprinkler Cases ___________________________ 114
Environmentally Friendly _________________________________________ 115
Residential Sprinkler Options _____________________________________ 116
Technology Consideration ________________________________________ 118
4.2 Emergency Response Data __________________________________ 118
4.3 Traffic Light Pre-emption ____________________________________ 125
SECTION 5: Facilities, Vehicles, and Equipment __________________________ 127
5.1 Fire Station Review ________________________________________ 127
5.2 Training Facility ___________________________________________ 141
5.3 Mechanical/Maintenance Division – Apparatus and Equipment_______ 143
5.4 Future Technology _________________________________________ 147
SECTION 6: Risk Assessment and Emergency Management ________________ 151
6.1 Community Risk Assessment – Current and Future Needs __________ 151
6.2 Emergency Management Program ____________________________ 155

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 SECTION 7: Finance, Budgeting, and Capital Forecast Plan ________________ 164
7.1 Operating Budgets _________________________________________ 164
7.2 Capital Forecasts __________________________________________ 164
SECTION 8: Recommendations for Future Fire Service Enhancements ________ 166
8.1 Response Goals __________________________________________ 168
8.2 Type of Buildings and Options for Fire Stations ___________________ 183
SECTION 9: Summary ______________________________________________ 187
9.1 Conclusion _______________________________________________ 187
SECTION 10: Appendices _____________________________________________ i
Appendix A: Definitions and References ________________________________ i
Appendix B: Deliverables ___________________________________________ iv
Appendix C: Next-Generation 9-1-1___________________________________ v
Appendix D: Five-Step Staffing Process ______________________________ viii
Appendix E: NFPA 1710 Initial Full Alarm Responses _____________________ x
Appendix F: US Residential Sprinkler Cases ___________________________ xiv
Appendix G: Call and Response Data ________________________________ xv
Appendix H: Types of Traffic Preemption ______________________________xvii
Appendix I: Operations-Based Exercises _____________________________ xx

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 8

Introduction
Review Process and Scope
EMT has based its review process on the City’s initial Request for Proposal (RFP) and
the response document submitted. The specific scope of work identified in the RFP was
reviewed. The FMP review was completed by utilizing industry best practices, current
industry standards, and applicable legislation as the foundation for all work undertaken.
EMT also used both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies to develop a
strong understanding of current and future needs and circumstances of the community.

Performance Measures and Standards

This FMP has been based upon (but not limited to) key performance indicators that have
been identified in national standards and safety regulations such as:

• The Fire Safety Act

• The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996
• The Emergency Planning Act
• The Paramedics Act
• The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards:
The NFPA is an international non-profit organization that was formed in 1896. The
mission of the NFPA is to reduce the burden of fire, eliminate death, injury, property, and
economic loss due to fire and other related hazards. It is responsible for more than 300
codes and standards, research, training, and education that is designed to minimize the
risk and effects of fire and other hazards. The NFPA standards are not law, but they are
the benchmark and best practice in the fire service.

• The Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), a program that

promotes fire service excellence by evaluating a fire department based on
related NFPA standards, local legislation and industry best practices (the parent
organization for CFAI is the Center for Public Safety Excellence).
o This program has been adopted by many fire departments in Canada as a
measure of best practices. To the Department’s credit, RFPS has obtained
accreditation from the CFAI.
• Fire Underwriters Survey (FUS) technical documents

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 Project Consultants
Although several staff at Emergency Management & Training Inc. were involved in the
collaboration and completion of this Plan, the core review was conducted by:

• Darryl Culley, President Emergency Management & Training Inc.

• Les Karpluk, Fire Service Consultant
• Rick Monkman, Fire Service Consultant
• Lyle Quan, Fire Service Consultant
Together, the team has amassed a considerable amount of experience in all areas of fire
and emergency services program development, review, and training. The EMT team has
worked on projects that range from fire service reviews, creation of strategic and master
plans, and development of emergency response programs for clients.

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Recommendations
The plan identified eight strategic recommendations.

1. Regionalization and Partnerships

2. Department Communications
3. Diversity and Inclusion
4. Training/Workforce Development/Succession Planning
5. Technology and Innovation
6. Service Level Enhancements (stations)
7. Safety
8. Emergency Preparedness

Below are the recommendations and the tactical guidelines aligned within them.

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Recommendations Implementation Table
Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
Regionalization and Partnerships: The Department explore partnerships where benefits such as cost-saving
1
and improved efficiency may be found in order to better serve the community.
1a RFPS, the Rural Municipality (RM) of M See rec. See rec. H B – Goal 1
Sherwood, and RM of Edenwold #8f #8f B – Goal 4
investigate a partnership where the D1 – Goal 1
municipalities pay for or share the D1 – Goal 3
costs of a fire station and RFPS staff D9 – Goal 1
it to respond to the respective RMs D9 – Goal 2
and the City of Regina (see Section
1.8.1 for more details).
1b RFPS and the Saskatchewan Health S N/C $ H
Authority (SHA) finalize a new
agreement in 2021 where RFPS
paramedics and medical first
responders are utilized more in the
delivery of emergency medical care
in the City of Regina.
Further, the new agreement identifies
appropriate protocols for RFPS
paramedics to administer lifesaving
medications.
See 1.7 for further information.
2 Department Communications: The Department build upon its reputation in the community through a larger
social media presence and formal public information programs.

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 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
2a RFPS should implement a formal S N/C $ S D9 – Goal 2
program for property owners and
landlords to educate them in terms
of prevention, education, property
maintenance, fire code and bylaw
requirements.
See 2.4.2 for further information
2b RFPS should implement a more S N/C N S D9 – Goal 2
formal social media where E – Goal 2
prevention, education, and
suppression activities are
communicated to the public.
*This recommendation is a direct
result of the contributions of the
public and stakeholder
consultations.
See 3.3.2 for further information
3 Emergency Preparedness: The Department should continue to advance the Emergency Preparedness
Program throughout the Department and the City of Regina.
3a The public warning system, S N/A $ H
NotifyNow, should be identified in the
Municipal Emergency Response Plan
(MERP) as well as how it can be
utilized and initiated.
• Consideration should be
given to special needs
populations.
• RFPS should educate the
public in terms of NotifyNow
and how as a mass

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 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
communication system it is
utilized to alert citizens of
immediate notifications.
See 6.2.3 for further information.
3b As the City of Regina grows in S N/C $ H
population a business case can be
made to hire additional staff. RFPS
should investigate the feasibility of
an Emergency Preparedness
Specialist for neighbouring
communities.
See 6.2.5 for further information.
4 Diversity and Inclusion: The Department pursue recruitment processes which support its diversity and
inclusion goals.
4a RFPS should work on increasing its S N/C $ H D11 – Goal 5
workforce diversity in terms of hiring E – Goal 2
a more diverse workforce for all
divisions in RFPS.
*This recommendation is a direct
result of the contributions of the
public and stakeholder consultations.
See 2.4.3 for further information

4b RFPS conduct in-house training for S N/C N H D11 – Goal 5

recruits that are from a visible E – Goal 2
minority or Aboriginal background
and train them to the National Fire

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 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
Protection Association (NFPA) 1001
Level 2 and Primary Care Paramedic.
These individuals would be identified
through a diversity program
implemented by RFPS where their
skills, education and character make
them suitable candidates for RFPS.
*This recommendation is a direct
result of the contributions of the
public and stakeholder consultations.
See 2.4.3 for further information
5 Safety: The Department should continue to enhance and reinforce its safety initiatives for community,
strategic and firefighter safety.
5a RFPS should ensure every firefighter S N/C $$ N
has a second set of turnout gear due
to the evidence of firefighters having
a higher risk of getting certain
cancers, and some inconsistences
with members being able to use a
spare set of turnout gear.
See 5.1.9 for further information.
5b The pre-incident program needs to be S N/C $ N
evaluated to determine a plan to
move forward. Pre-incident planning
requires a significant amount of time
and an analysis should be conducted

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 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
to determine an achievable number
for pre-incident plans, along with
confirming that the present programs
are meeting the needs of the
Department.
See 3.3.3 for further information.
6 Training, Workforce Development, and Succession Planning: The Department conduct regular reviews of
workforce development, training and succession planning to ensure continuous improvement and benefits
realization.
6a RFPS identify the applicable rescue S N/C $ N D9 – Goal 2
categories that coincide with the Fire
Bylaw and identify whether
Awareness, Operations, or Technical
levels are required, and training of
firefighters assigned to an existing
rescue team be the priority for
training.
See 3.4.3 for further information
6b RFPS should implement a formal S N/C N N
evaluation of the workload of both
public education officers be
completed in 2021 and reviewed
annually.
See 3.3.2 for further information.
6c A review should be conducted on the S N/C $ N
feasibility and costs with having

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 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
trained firefighters staff the dispatch
centre or having civilians only as
certified dispatchers and adding the
existing firefighters to the
suppression force. This will be
particularly important with NG 9-1-1.
See 2.4.2 for further information
6d RFPS should hire additional fire S N/C $$ N
inspectors/investigators within the
next 5 years based upon the findings
of a comprehensive work analysis of
the existing job duties being
performed by prevention staff and
Fire Underwriter’s Survey (FUS)
standards of 1 inspector per 15-
20,000 population.
See 3.3.6 for further information.
6e RFPS should plan and budget for an S N/C $$ S
additional staff member to lead the
fire and health & safety programs.
This staff member must be qualified
to lead a holistic and community-
driven approach. Funding may be
available from agencies that impact
the health and safety of residents in
the City of Regina.

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 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
See 3.3.3 for further information.
6f Implementation of the Platoon S N/C $ N
Trainers should be a priority. RFPS
management and IAFF Local 181
should strive to develop a
memorandum of understanding
regarding these positions and identify
the exact roles, responsibilities, and
expectations of these positions.
See 3.4.2 for more information.
6g RFPS should identify a skills S N/C $ N
maintenance training process to be
part of a larger Training Strategy
developed by the Department.
See 3.4.4 for further information.
6h RFPS Fire Training Division should S N/C $ N
research, implement and evaluate a
training program where RFPS are
trained in new and evolving structural
firefighting tactics.
See 3.4.3 & 3.5.2 for further
information.
6i RFPS management to identify the S N/C N N
priorities for operation staff and
implement a monthly schedule where

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 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
Public Education, Training and
Operational needs are given priority.
See 3.4.4 for further information.
6j RFPS should create a Training S N/C N N
Advisory Group with representatives
from the Training Division, Fire
Officers, and IAFF Local 181.
See 3.4.4 for further information.
6k Develop a career path for each out of S N/C $ S
scope position that identifies the
knowledge, skills and abilities
required for each.
Citizen Services Division, along with
the human resources consultant,
develop succession plans for
prevention and education staff, Fire
Marshal, and emergency
management staff.
See 3.4.5 for further information.
6l The City review the salary grid S N/C $$ N
compression between unionized and Dependent
non-union officers and make on the
adjustments to reflect responsibilities. outcome
See 3.7 for further information.
6m Training division develop a S N/C N N
performance measurement tool for

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 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
fire officers as the need for training,
education and experience in high
risk/low frequency incident is critical.
See 3.4.4 for further information.
7 Technology and Innovation: The Department advance and leverage technological solutions and apply an
innovative approach wherever possible to mitigate risk and improve safety in the community.
7a Residential sprinklers should be S N/A $ H C – Goal 4
promoted in all new residential D1 – Goal 3
construction, especially in outlying D4 – Goal 3
communities where RFPS has an D5 – Goal 1
automatic fire service agreement due D6 – Goal 5
to extended response times. D9 – Goal 1
Developers should be encouraged to
offer sprinklers as an option when
building homes.
Further, RFPS identify geographic
areas that exceed industry best
practice response time to implement
high intensity residential fire (HIRF)
requirements and work with the
construction industry to educate
homeowners on the availability of
fire-resistant construction methods.
See 4.1.2 for further information.
7b A plan should be implemented to S N/C $ N
have all fire stations outfitted with a

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 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
monitor for mapping and highlighting
routes to the emergency and other
vital information.
See 2.4.2 for further information.
7c The City of Regina continue to work S $ N S
with traffic pre-emption providers to
assess the potential benefits based
on the road network and traffic
patterns of the city, types of systems
that may be appropriate, options
available, and estimated costs.
See 4.3 for further information.
7d RFPS purchase an unmanned aerial M N/C $ N
vehicle (drone) to be utilized for
emergency, preplanning, emergency
management and non-emergency
functions.
See 5.4.2 for further information.
8 Future Service Level Enhancements/Resourcing: The Department implement a long-range plan for fire
stations, equipment and personnel to respond to the fire services needs of the community as it grows.
8a The City undertakes a six-phase, 25- S N/C N N B – Goal 1
year plan to increase the capacity of B – Goal 3
the fire department to meet the B – Goal 4
growing needs of the City. C – Goal 1
See 8.1 for further information. D1 – Goal 1
D1 – Goal 2

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 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
D4 – Goal 1
D4 – Goal 2
D4 – Goal 3
D5 – Goal 1
D5 – Goal 6
D9 – Goal 1
D9 – Goal 2
D11 – Goal 3
E – Goal 1
E – Goal 2
E – Goal 4
E- Goal 5
E – Goal 7

8b Phase 1: Build a new Station 8 in the S $$$ $$$ N D1 – Goal 1

southeast area of the city. D4 – Goal 3
A full staffing complement of 20 D9 – Goal 1
firefighters would be required, along D9 – Goal 2
with a fire apparatus. E – Goal 7
See 8.1.1 for further information.
8c Phase 2: Add a station 9 at or in the M $$$ $$$$ H
vicinity of the airport.
A full staffing compliment of 20
firefighters would be required, along
with a fire apparatus.
See 8.1.2 for further information.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 22

 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
8d Phase 3: Build a fire station 10 in the L $$$ $$$$ N
vicinity of Prince of Wales Drive & 7th
Avenue East.
A full staff complement of 20
firefighters would be required along
with a fire apparatus.
See 8.1.3 for further information.
8e Phase 4: Build a new Station 6 in the L $$$ N N
northwest quadrant of the City.
The staffing and apparatus would be
moved from current Station 6. See
8.1.4 for further information.
8f Phase 5: RFPS and the RM of L $$$ $$$$ H
Sherwood investigate a partnership
where the RM of Sherwood build a
fire station (Station 11) in the vicinity
of Diefenbaker Drive and Pasqua
Street., and RFPS staff it to respond
to the RM of Sherwood and the City
of Regina.
See 8.1.5 for further information.
8g Phase 6: Build a fire station with a L $$$ $$$$ N
new crew complement in the
northwest quadrant of the City in the
general vicinity of McCarthy
Boulevard. and 4th Avenue

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 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
A full staffing complement of 20
firefighters would be required, along
with a fire apparatus.
See 8.1.6 for further information
8h RFPS consider the option of leasing O N/C N H B – Goal 1
commercial space for a station where
appropriate.
See 8.2 for further information.
8i RFPS actively look for opportunities O N/C N H B – Goal 1
to integrate any new fire stations into B – Goal 3
multi-purpose buildings. D1 – Goal 1
See 8.2 for further information. D4 – Goal 1
D4 – Goal 2
D4 – Goal 3
D5 – Goal 1
D5 – Goal 6
D6 – Goal 5
D9 – Goal 1
D11 – Goal 3
8j Safe haven public safety systems be S $ N S
considered for installation in all fire
stations along with a public education
program to promote the program.
See 5.1.11 for further information.
8k All frontline apparatus should have a S $ N N
minimum of 3 personal thermal

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 Strategic Recommendations and Capital Operating Source Partnership Link to OCP
Tactical Guidance Timeline Resources Impacts of Potential Goals
Required Capital
imaging cameras (TICs) and each
station to have one spare for a total
of 43 TICs. A formal TIC training
program and implement policies and
procedures for the use of TICs are
required.
See 5.4.1 for further information.
8l RFPS should replace the existing S $ $ N
1952 Mobile Command Centre
vehicle in the next 12-18 months.
See 6.2.4 for further information.

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 Guide to Implementation Table

Timeline (in combination with population growth) Sources of Capital Funding

S = Short; 0-5 yrs (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024,  = Policy/Priority Action (requires significant
and 2025) public and/or stakeholder engagement)
M = Medium; 6-10 yrs (2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030) SAF = May be Servicing Agreement Fee eligible
L = Long; 11-25 yrs (2031, 2032, 2033, 2034, 2035, ABR = Additional Budget Requirement
2036, 2037, 2038, 2039, 2040)
O = Ongoing the next twenty years as opportunities
arise

Capital Resources Required (One-Time Costs) Operating Impact

N/C = No change in existing human or capital N = little or no impact; can be accomplished within
requirements existing resources
$ = <$1M $ = Annual impact of less than $100K
$$ = $1.1M to $5M $$ = Annual impact of $100K to $500K
$$$ = $5.1M to $10M $$$ = Annual impact of $500K to $1M
$$$$ = >$10M $$$$ = Annual impact of more than $1M

Partnership Potential

N = Little of None; this will be a City led initiative

S = Some; the City can likely partner with others who
will provide significant resources to achieve
desired goals
H = Lots; it is conceivable and desirable that this
project can be led by another organization with
the City in a support role, providing either
financial support of other forms of support.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 26

SECTION 1: Community and Fire Department Overview
This FMP for the RFPS analyzes and identifies current and probable community fire
risks and needs over the next 25 years and beyond. This will greatly assist RFPS with
future planning relating to staffing and response, fire and life safety programming, and
asset management. To ensure a comprehensive assessment, this review has examined
and researched all aspects of RFPS’ operations including planning, fire prevention,
training and education, communications, apparatus and equipment, human resources,
station suitability and location, and large-scale emergency preparedness.

1.1 Community Overview

Regina is the capital of Saskatchewan and the 16th largest city in Canada with a
population of approximately 257,000 1. Regina is in the south-central area of the
Province. The City covers an area of 118.4 km2. It is in the middle of the Prairie
Provinces with Alberta to the west, and Manitoba to the east. It borders the American
states of Montana and North Dakota.

Between 2011 and 2016, the City’s population increased by close to 25,000, or 11.8%
and its continued growth placed Regina at the 6th fastest growing city in Canada. It is
also one of Canada’s youngest cities with only 12.7% of the population over 65.

Regina’s population is expected to hit 300,000 by 2038. The economy of Regina is

linked to the Province’s natural resources and agricultural industries; however, within
the City, commercial offices and services provide the main source of employment.

The City is expecting several major new development projects in the next few years,
including new residential and commercial towers within the downtown and a significant
mixed-use infill development – the Regina Revitalization Initiative – which includes the
Railyard Renewal Project and the Taylor Field Neighbourhood.

1 Regina’s Economic Report Card, December 2019 Edition

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 FIGURE #1: Map of Regina in Relation to Other Communities in the Region

As noted in the City’s Official Plan, long-term, sustainable growth is a key focus. In
fact, ‘Goal 1 – Long-Term Growth’ confirms a focus on long-term growth to ensure
that sufficient developable land is protected for future city growth, and further that
the City will:
a. Endeavor to ensure that lands contained within the LONG-TERM GROWTH
AREA (500K) are protected over the long term to accommodate a city
population of 500,000, as conceptually shown on Map 1 – Growth Plan.
b. Direct future growth as either intensification on or expansion into lands
designated to accommodate a population of approximately 300,000, in
accordance with Figure 2a – Growth Plan.
c. Direct at least 30% of new population to existing urban areas as the City’s
intensification target:
• Review the intensification target every five years. 2

2 Design Regina: Official Community Plan

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 As noted in the 2019 updated Design Regina Official Community Plan (OCP),
Regina is experiencing relatively rapid expansion due to diverse and growing
economies centered around oil, potash, and agriculture. Regina continues to see
significant growth as one of Canada’s fastest growing cities. The OCP projects
continued growth, with more and more people making Regina their home. Many of
those new residents will be recently landed immigrants. This could bring Regina’s
population up to an estimated 300,000 residents by 2038. The City’s projected rate
of growth and increasingly diverse population make the process of developing a
long-term plan critical.
According to the 2017 to 2019 response data, RFPS responds to just over 5,024
calls per year, which equates to 19.5 calls per 1,000 population. If this call number
were to stay consistent, and the population does indeed grow to 300,000 people
by 2038, RFPS could expect to respond to approximately 7,000 to 8,500 calls (an
estimated increase of 2,000 to 3,500 calls) by the year 2038. This statistic alone
supports the necessity of future growth in RFPS, both in staffing and facilities.
When identifying population growth, it is advisable to indicate where the actual
growth will occur. City staff provided EMT with the following map of possible future
subdivisions. As noted in FIGURE #2, there will be significant pockets of growth,
some of which are outside of a timely primary response reach of the current fire
stations. As the city grows there will be a need for the fire department to keep up
with the growth to ensure an effective level of service continues.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 29

 FIGURE #2a: Growth Plan

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 FIGURE #2b: Phasing of New Neighbourhoods and New Mixed-Use Neighbourhoods

Note: FIGURE #2a and 2b maps retrieved from Design Regina Official Community Plan

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 31

 1.2 Fire Service Composition
RFPS is a well-trained and technically diverse emergency service, capable of
handling a broad range of emergencies and hazardous situations. Functions of
RFPS include fire suppression, auto extrication, hazardous material spills,
industrial accidents, tiered medical response, high/low angle rescue, ice and water
rescue, urban search and rescue, and confined space rescue, provided from
seven fire stations located throughout the City of Regina. In 2021, the dive team
will have fully transitioned over from the Regina Police Service (RPS) to RFPS.

In addition to emergency response services, RFPS provides public fire safety

education, fire prevention inspections and code enforcement. RFPS also delivers
emergency planning for the community through Emergency Preparedness and
Business Continuity (EPBC).

Responding to 5,189 incidents in 2019, RFPS serves a population of

approximately 257,000 spread over an area of 118.4 km2. This equates to a
present population density of 2,170 residents per square kilometre.

There are five different sections within the Department, namely, Technical &
Administrative Services, Suppression & Rescue, Fire Prevention, Education &
Training, Communications, and Safety & Logistics. More information on each will
be supplied within each related section of the FMP.

The organizational chart illustrated in FIGURE #3 reflects the general reporting

structure within the Fire Department.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 32

 FIGURE #3: Fire Department Organizational Chart

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 33

 1.3 Governance and Fire Bylaw
The current Fire Bylaw was last updated in 2018. Section 6 of the document
identifies what services the Department is to offer, cited below:
Purpose of the Department
6(1) The Department is continued as an established service department of the
City pursuant to section 8(1)(i) of The Cities Act and is authorized to provide
services relating to fire suppression, prevention and investigation and additional
related services, including, but not limited to:
a. emergency response services
b. inspections and investigations
c. educational and training programs
d. rescue services
e. dangerous goods emergency services
f. regulation of fireworks and pyrotechnics
g. regulation of private fire safety equipment inspectors
Although this list appears to cover a wide range of services, to assist the Fire Chief
in meeting the needs and expectations of Council, it is recommended that the Fire
Bylaw be more precise in identifying the level of the services that RFPS is
authorized to supply to the community. For example, rescue services can be
interpreted differently by members of the public, City Council, or the Executive
Leadership Team. Defining the level of service will provide clearer direction to the
Fire Chief regarding training needs, fire prevention/public education goals, public
safety, equipment, facility needs, and response time goals and expectations.
To ensure the bylaw continues to reflect community needs and related service
levels, annual reviews of the document should be completed by the Fire Chief as a
standard business practice to ensure that the RFPS is operating within Council-
approved parameters.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 34

 1.4 Fire Department Coverage Areas
The following map (FIGURE #4a) identifies the present locations of the seven fire
stations, along with the city’s borders.
FIGURE #4a: RFPS Stations

As illustrated in FIGURE 4a, for the most part, the fire stations are located in the
developed portions of the city.

NFPA 1710 identifies for career fire departments a 90th percentile standard for the
first arriving apparatus for a single-family dwelling, open-air strip shopping centre,
apartment and high-rise, to arrive in four minutes travel time or less, with a second
alarm assignment arriving in six minutes travel time or less. When we overlay the
NFPA’s recommended drive-time of four minutes for a career fire department (as
seen in the following map) there already exist response gaps in the western and
northeast/southeast sections of the city (FIGURE# 4b).

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 Based on information noted in the City’s Official Plan, along with meeting with City
staff, these are the areas where the most growth is anticipated to occur. More
discussion will be presented later in this document, in sections 4 and 5.
FIGURE #4b: RFPS Stations – 4- and 6-Minute Drive-Time Zones

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 1.5 Communications/Dispatching Services
The RFPS has its own dispatching section that is located at the headquarters
facility. RFPS receives the 9-1-1 call from the Regina Public Safety Answering
Point which is located within the RPS station.

Based on EMT’s review of the Communication’s office facilities, it is well set up

and efficient in its operations.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 37

 NFPA 1221 – Standard for The Installation, Maintenance, and Use of
Emergency Services Communications Systems

This NFPA standard is recognized and an industry best

practice/guideline for operational goals to be met by a communications
division. Section 7.4 of the standard identifies the following operating
procedures:

NFPA 1221, Section 7.4 Operating Procedures

7.4.1* Ninety-five percent of alarms received on emergency lines

shall be answered within 15 seconds, and 99 percent of alarms
shall be answered within 40 seconds.

7.4.1.1 Compliance with 7.4.1 shall be evaluated monthly using

data from the previous month.

By implementing this standard, both RFPS and RPS will have a set of goals and
expectations to work within. RFPS should also conduct annual reviews of the
dispatching services provided by RPS to ensure that it is meeting the needs of
RFPS and to identify opportunities for improvements (by both parties).

Technology Consideration – Next Generation Communications (NG 9-1-1)

Current Condition
Next Generation 9-1-1:
• As noted in the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission (CRTC) excerpt (Appendix C), March 2024 is a critical date.
• The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) is responsible for
managing Saskatchewan’s 9-1-1 emergency dispatching services and will
be the lead agency throughout the transition to NG 9-1-1.
• RFPS will need to work with all related stakeholders to ensure that the
community and its fire service is able to meet the CRTC timelines for
implementation of the next generation telephone and communications
systems.
• At this time no costs or estimates for this endeavour have been provided by
any government agency, as much of the logistics are still being worked out
by the upper level stakeholders (SPSA, Public Safety Answering Point
(PSAPs), central dispatch centres and regional steering groups).
Communication system upgrades will, however, have a significant financial
impact on every community.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 38

 1.6 Fire Service Agreements
These agreements (mutual aid and fire service protection) are essential for the
community (customer) as fire protection services enhance the safety and welfare
of that community. Typically, a mutual aid agreement enables a fire department to
request the additional services of another fire department when certain situations
warrant it. RFPS provides suppression, specialty rescue and hazardous materials
responses and more importantly, an immediate response to provide those services
upon request.

RFPS has 14 agreements in place, and 10 of those are a decade old or more and
require updating in terms of service fees, payments, termination of services and a
standard renewal time frame. For example, some of the contracts did not identify
the contract timeframe while others identified a 5-year term with an automatic
renewal for two 5-year terms. The best practice is that a contract will continue to
exist until renegotiated, but it will be in the best interest of RFPS to ensure that the
expired contracts are revised and updated.

1.6.1 Summary of Agreements

1.6.1.1 Major Urban Disaster Mutual Aid Agreement (2005)
This is a mutual aid agreement with Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, Prince Albert,
Swift Current, Yorkton, North Battleford and Weyburn where the parties agree
to provide firefighting or emergency services or emergency response
equipment to the others and to receive the same from the others in the event of
a major urban disaster as defined below:
a. A calamity caused by:
• Accident,
• Act of war or insurrection,
• Terrorist activity as defined in the Criminal Code, or
• Forces of nature, or
b. A present or imminent situation or condition that requires prompt action to
prevent or limit:
• The loss of life,
• Harm or damage to the safety, health, or welfare of people, or
• Damage to property or the environment.
There is a need for this mutual aid agreement to be revised and discussions
should occur around a pandemic situation where the parties may be impacted
and vulnerable.
1.6.1.2 Mutual Aid Agreement with the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region
(January 26, 2009 to January 5, 2014)

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 In 2017 the Government of Saskatchewan initiated the transition of 12
Regional Health Authorities into a single Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
A new agreement between the SHA and RFPS should be pursued to better
utilize the trained personnel of RFPS to respond to and initiate advanced
medical treatment. Consideration must be given to improving dispatch
procedures between Regina Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and RFPS
and working closely with the medical director, so RFPS primary care
paramedics are able to provide medical care as per their scope of practice.
1.6.1.3 Global Transportation Hub Fire Services Agreement
The City of Regina and the Global Transportation Hub renewed the fire
services agreement in January 2020. This automatic response agreement will
have RFPS responding and providing emergency services as they would within
the City of Regina excluding first-response medical services. A consultation
occurred with a representative from the Global Transportation Hub (GTH) and
no concerns were identified with the fire service agreement.
1.6.1.4 Edenwold Fire Services Agreement (June 1, 2018-May 31, 2023)
A five-year agreement with the option to renew for two additional one-year
terms where RFPS is a secondary responding agency and the response is
discretionary for RFPS to provide fire and emergency services.
1.6.1.5 Lumsden Fire Services Agreement (April 22, 2003)
The agreement needs to be revised and updated and some administrative
issues were raised and addressed during the consultation process. The fire
services agreement is discretionary for RFPS to provide fire and emergency
services.
1.6.1.6 Cowessess First Nation Fire Services Agreement (March 26, 2008)
The agreement covers all those services typically provided by RFPS in
response to alarms, fire suppression, rescue, and hazardous materials
response, but excluding first response medical services. The fire services
agreement is discretionary for RFPS to provide fire and emergency services.
1.6.1.7 RM of Sherwood Fire Services Agreement (March 5, 2002)
The agreement requires revision and updating due to the age of this document.
At present, the agreement notes that it is discretionary for RFPS to provide fire
and emergency services. This can continue as noted but updating this
document will ensure that the present agreement does meet the needs and
expectations of each stakeholder.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 40

 1.6.1.8 Sakimay First Nations and Four Horse Development Fire Services
Agreement (May 23, 2017)
The automatic response agreement will have RFPS responding and providing
emergency services as they would within the City of Regina excluding first-
response medical services. RFPS is authorized to provide fire prevention,
suppression and protection services, emergency response services, fire
inspection and investigation services, rescue and dangerous goods emergency
services to the geographic fire services areas identified in the agreement.
During the consultation process representatives from the Sakimay First Nations
and Four Horse Development did not have any questions or concerns
regarding the fire services agreement provided by RFPS.
1.6.1.9 SaskFerco Products Fire Services Agreement (January 1, 2006)
The agreement requires revision and updating due to the age of this document.
At present, the agreement notes a “third level response” for RFPS to provide
fire and emergency services. This can continue as noted but updating this
document will ensure that the present agreement does meet the needs and
expectations of each stakeholder.
1.6.1.10 Town of Balgonie Fire Services Mutual Aid Agreement (2002)
The agreement requires revision and updating due to the age of this document.
At present, the agreement notes that it is discretionary for both parties to
provide fire and emergency services. This can continue as noted but updating
this document will ensure that the present agreement does meet the needs and
expectations of each stakeholder.
1.6.1.11 Town of Pilot Butte Fire Services Mutual Aid Agreement (2002)
The agreement requires revision and updating due to the age of this document.
At present, the agreement notes that it is discretionary for both parties to
provide fire and emergency services. This can continue as noted but updating
this document will ensure that the present agreement does meet the needs and
expectations of each stakeholder.
1.6.1.12 Village of Craven Fire Services Mutual Aid Agreement (2002)
The agreement requires revision and updating due to the age of this document.
At present, the agreement notes that it is discretionary for both parties to
provide fire and emergency services. This can continue as noted but updating
this document will ensure that the present agreement does meet the needs and
expectations of each stakeholder.
1.6.1.13 The Village of Grand Coulee Fire Services Mutual Aid Agreement
(2002)

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 The agreement requires revision and updating due to the age of this document.
At present, the agreement notes that it is discretionary for both parties to
provide fire and emergency services. This can continue as noted but updating
this document will ensure that the present agreement does meet the needs and
expectations of each stakeholder.
1.6.1.14 Village of White City Fire Services Mutual Aid Agreement (February
26, 1999)
The agreement requires revision and updating due to the age of this document.
At present, the agreement notes that it is discretionary for both parties to
provide fire and emergency services. This can continue as noted but updating
this document will ensure that the present agreement does meet the needs and
expectations of each stakeholder.

1.6.2 Overall Assessment of Agreements

RFPS provides numerous services and it is suggested that a framework be
created where RFPS have regular consultation with its partners to ensure that
record keeping and regular updates regarding fire service, safety matters, and
anything that can hinder fire service delivery occur.
Attention must be given to the automatic response agreements with the Global
Transportation Hub and the Sakimay First Nation and Four Horse Development
where RFPS equipment and staff will automatically respond and be out of a state
of readiness to respond back to the City of Regina if required. There are risks
involved with automatically responding within the parameters of these two fire
service agreements and it is suggested that when RFPS equipment and staff
respond to the GTH and Sakimay First Nation, that RFPS off-duty staff are
immediately called in to maintain proper staffing within the City of Regina.
Suggested revisions for all the agreements include but not limited to the following:
• Identify the Fire Safety Act where applicable.
• Standardize the agreement terms so all have a 5-year term with an optional
two 5-year extension.
• Include that nothing in the agreements obliges the City of Regina to deal
with insurers of the requesting party.
• Standardize the per response fee, annual retaining fee, and annual cost
increases.
During a revision of the service agreements, consideration should be given to
responses in other emergency classifications such as:
• Flooding or other natural events like a tornado or plough wind where RFPS
can respond with their Mobile Command Unit

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 42

 • Building collapse
• Confined space, high and low angle rescue
• A hazardous material spill or leak that can impact the health and safety of
people in a community
• Rescue operations requiring specialized skills
• Mass casualty incidents

1.7 Emergency Medical First Response Services Agreement

In January 2009, Regina City Council passed bylaw No. 2009-4 The Emergency
Medical Services Mutual Aid Agreement Execution Bylaw between the Regina
Qu’Appelle Health Region-Emergency Medical Services (RQHR-EMS) (Now the
Saskatchewan Health Authority) and the City of Regina through RFPS to provide
emergency medical first response services. The term of the agreement had an
expiry date of January 5, 2014. In 2017 the Saskatchewan government initiated its
move from 12 health regions into one provincial health authority called the
Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
The purpose of the EMS Mutual Aid agreement is to establish and define roles and
responsibilities for the provision of pre-hospital emergency medical services in a
safe, coordinated, integrated and effective manner. Currently, RFPS has 101
paramedics and 98 medical first responders on staff that can provide out-of-
hospital emergency medical care for the community. RFPS ensures that
paramedics meet the licensing requirements as governed by the Saskatchewan
College of Paramedics.
With the number of paramedics and medical first responders readily available in
RFPS, a new agreement to provide an enhanced level of prehospital emergency
care should be finalized with the SHA.
RFPS strives for a 90 percentile (total) response time of 6 minutes and 20
seconds, accounting for the arrival of a first-due unit with three firefighters and one
officer on scene to assess scene safety, establish command, and size up the
incident. Further, within one minute of arrival, provide first responder care in terms
of conducting an initial patient assessment, obtain vitals and the patient’s medical
history, and provide immediate medical care.
Based on EMT’s review of the related EMS program, it is recommended that the
RFPS and the SHA finalize a new agreement in 2021 where RFPS paramedics
and medical first responders are utilized more in the delivery of emergency
medical care in the City of Regina. Furthermore, it is recommended that the new
agreement identifies appropriate protocols for RFPS to administer lifesaving
medications.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 43

 1.8 Regionalization Considerations
As noted in the Official Community Plan, the City of Regina outlines a projected
population of approximately 300,000 by 2038. The FMP is to provide a
regionalization scenario based upon those projections.
In the 2019 report titled, The Region of Windsor and West Hants Municipality,
Regional Fire Services Review it was stated that with the regionalization of
services, the main goals are cost efficiencies, elimination of duplication of
services, better utilization of resources, better cooperation in service delivery,
consistency of equipment procedures, enhanced firefighter safety and benefits,
uniform training and performance standards, and adequate qualifications and
staffing levels.”3
In 2001 the Ottawa Fire Services amalgamated with nine fire departments and
now provides emergency services through 45 fire stations located across the
Ottawa region that includes 16 paid on-call stations and 5 composite stations.
In the Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency 2019-2021 Business Plan, it identifies
that emergency services protection is delivered to every part of the Halifax
Regional Municipality out of 51 stations:

• 9 24-hour Career Stations

• 9 24-hour Career Composite Stations (career and volunteer)
• 11 10.5-hour Career Composite Stations (career and volunteer)
• 22-Volunteer Stations
In the context of regionalization for fire services, EMT will refer to it as the
administrative and governance structure that assumes the delivery of fire services
to a defined population. With a regionalization scenario it is critical to recognize
that EMT is presenting regionalization in terms of fire services only and not in the
form of a regional government or amalgamation.
Currently RFPS has fire service and mutual aid agreements with the RM of
Sherwood, Town of Pilot Butte, Village of White City, Town of Balgonie and Town of
Grand Coulee where it is discretionary to provide fire and emergency services.
Currently, the following agreements exist:
• Village of White City-mutual aid agreement
• Town of Pilot Butte-mutual aid agreement
• Town of Balgonie-mutual aid
• Grand Coulee-mutual aid

3 The Region of Windsor and West Hants Municipality, Regional Fire Services Review (2019)

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 44

 • RM of Sherwood-fire services agreement.
Due to the proximity of Emerald Park, White City, Pilot Butte, Balgonie and Grand
Coulee it is feasible that a regionalization of services could occur with these
municipalities in the next 25-years. The RM of Sherwood and Emerald Park do not
have a fire department and therefore a different model will need to be utilized and
will be presented later in this section.
Emerald Park is 9 km east of Regina, White City is 10 km east of Regina, Pilot
Butte is 11 km east of Regina and Balgonie is 27 km east of Regina, while the RM
of Sherwood surrounds Regina with industrial and commercial development along
Highway 6 and Grand Coulee is 18 km west of downtown Regina. Below are
images identifying the locality of the mentioned communities and how close each
community borders the city limits of Regina.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 45

 RM of Sherwood Industrial subdivision along Highway 6

“One of the most common problems noted by fire officials is overcoming logistical
differences between fire departments. These differences reside in the standard
operating procedures, firefighting equipment, communication systems, and
knowledge of a municipality. These differences can impede fire response times
and increase the risk of misunderstandings impacting the ability to perform fire

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 46

 servicing duties efficiently. These differences then may lead to higher risk of
damage or loss of life.” 4
Funding for fire services should reflect needs and circumstances for fire services
within a municipality. However, if local funding for fire services does not meet the
requirements from growing populations or industry, it can become a challenge. 5
The regionalization of fire services is generally based upon improved efficiencies
as each community has the responsibility to keep its people and property safe.
The population for the respective areas is estimated to be (Census Canada 2016):
• Emerald Park-1,696
• White City-3,099
• Pilot Butte-2,137
• Balgonie-1,745
• RM of Sherwood-974
• Grand Coulee-649
• RM of Edenwold-4,490
The volunteer fire services sector has faced recruitment and retention challenges
for years and it is not improving. Volunteer firefighters and officers have limited
time available due to other personal and work-related commitments. During
working hours, it is usually difficult to have firefighters readily available to respond
to an emergency as many work outside of their community.
Issues and barriers impacting recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters
include the following areas:

• Employer-related - a lack of support of volunteer firefighting by employers.

• Family-related - volunteer firefighting requires a time commitment which
separates firefighters from their loved ones at unpredictable times and
being called away from work impacts the family income.
• Availability of people - many people work outside of the community during
the day.
• Time commitment - there are increased demands on volunteers’ time, and
many ways to spend free time. 6
As more demands are being placed upon the volunteer fire service, it is
foreseeable that communities may choose to move to a regionalized model where

4 Coralejo M., et al (2018) 2018 Regional Emergency (Fire) Services Report, University of Alberta
Planning Program, Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board.
5 Coralejo M., et al (2018) 2018 Regional Emergency (Fire) Services Report, University of Alberta

Planning Program, Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board.

6 Volunteer Firefighters Recruitment and Retention Strategy (2010), Volunteer Alberta.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 47

 their fire department is part of a regional service that is providing fire and
emergency services.
Prior to any regionalization occurring an assessment of the existing services,
future needs, and type of service levels to be provided must occur. If improved
efficiencies can be demonstrated through regionalization and political support is
present, then formal steps can be taken to identify who takes the lead on the
regionalization process. Regionalization of fire protection services will require
support from all levels of government including the Government of Saskatchewan.
Steps to take to investigate regionalization include but are not limited to:
• Conducting a thorough analysis of the risks in the municipality in the form of
a community risk assessment.
• Conducting an analysis of the fire departments.
• Consultations with the appropriate administrative staff, Reeve and
Councilors for the municipality.
• Consultations with key stakeholders and taxpayers.
• Identifying the efficiencies in terms of cost savings and resource allocation.
• Identification of how taxes are imposed for fire protection services, so
financing of operations and the provision of a capital budget are properly
met.
• A formal plan and report be provided to each municipality involved with
recommendations for consideration by all stakeholders.
• Collaboration-All stakeholders must be in support of regionalization.
• Relationships before regionalization occurs-Relationships are key to the
success as anything less could be viewed negatively and as a hostile
takeover by some.
• Partnerships-All stakeholders must be willing to partner in the
regionalization and be willing to give and take at times.
For the regionalization of fire services to occur there must be the political will for
such an initiative. A regional fire service can only exist if all stakeholders are part
of the process and agreements and partnerships form the spirit of the regionalized
fire service.

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 1.8.1 Present Status of Communities Fire Service
Rural Municipality of Edenwold

The 2016 census records a total population of 4,490 residents in the municipality
which is characterized by low-density rural population distribution except in country
residential development areas and Emerald Park. The towns of Pilot Butte,
Balgonie and White City and the Village of Edenwold are located entirely in the
RM of Edenwold. As noted in the Edenwold Official Community Plan, residential
development is primarily focused within the community of Emerald Park and the
country residential developments. 7

Rural Municipality of Sherwood

The RM of Sherwood encompasses the City of Regina with the majority of its land
base being agriculture. There are a variety of industries and manufacturing within
the RM of Sherwood and more specifically north of the City of Regina.

A fire services agreement exists with the RM of Sherwood and is discretionary in

nature, which indicates that RFPS reserves the right to use discretion in deciding
whether it can respond into the RM of Sherwood. Determination of response
capacity is due to the availability of manpower and equipment, weather conditions
or other hazards that could jeopardize the safety of RFPS personnel, whether
RFPS needs to recall manpower and equipment to a greater emergency within the
City limits or the availability of manpower and the state of readiness of equipment
in the department at the time of request for emergency services.

One option to improve the response time to the RM of Sherwood would be a

partnership between RFPS and the RM of Sherwood where a fire station is built
and maintained by the RM of Sherwood and staffed by RFP personnel and
equipment. Additional benefits of having a station located within the RM of
Sherwood is that RFPS personnel can conduct fire education and fire inspections
in the industrial sections. This station could be strategically located so the
response capacity serves the industrial areas of the RM of Sherwood Park and the
northern boundaries of the City of Regina.

Emerald Park

Emerald Park is an unincorporated community in the Rural Municipality of

Edenwold No. 158 and is 9 km east of Regina and adjacent to the Town of White
City. Emerald Park is comprised of residential, industrial (Great Plains Industrial

7 RM of Edenwold 158, (2019) Official Community Plan Bylaw 2019-19

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 49

 Park and Royal Business Park), retail and commercial businesses. Fire services
are provided to Emerald Park by the White City FD and regionalization of fire
services would need to focus on the White City Fire Department. RFPS should
investigate the possibility of establishing a fire service partnership similar to that
with RM Sherwood with Emerald Park.

1.8.2 Regionalization Challenges

It is critical that attention be given to the existing culture and pride that the
respective fire departments have. As noted by Coralejo M., et al (2018) “A theme
found within the study is the importance of maintaining and respecting the identity
of each fire station while increasing the regionalization of fire services and
cooperation. Many municipalities take pride in their individual fire stations, but
regionalization can represent a threat to them. A need to address these concerns
is essential to ensure acceptance of increased regionalization of fire services.” 8

The Region of Windsor and West Hants Municipality, Regional Fire Services
Review (2019) document found during their review process that there was no
standardization of equipment purchases, personal protective equipment, different
levels of service and standards and the policies and procedures were different
among the fire departments. In fact, the six fire departments involved in the review
were at arm’s length and independent from each other. It can be anticipated that
there will be operational and governance differences in the fire departments
identified in this regionalization scenario.

In Saskatchewan there is no provincial standard level of care when it comes to fire

protection services. Essentially, every community decides on what level of service
they want to provide. This would pose a challenge as a regional fire service would
need to identify a standard level of training that every firefighter should meet. The
expectations to have volunteer firefighters meet the same standards as those in
RFPS would be unrealistic and in fact would discourage people from joining the
fire department.

Some options available to review for firefighting standards and part of the process
for regionalization of fire services would be the identification of minimum standards
for firefighters and officers. In 2015 the Province of British Columbia developed
and implemented the Structural Firefighters Competency and Training Playbook,
while the Yukon Government implemented Training Standards and Requirements
for the Yukon fire service and more recently in February 2019, in the Province of

8Coralejo M., et al. (2018) 2018 Regional Emergency (Fire) Services Report, University of Alberta
Planning Program, Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board.

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 Manitoba, the Office of the Fire Commissioner implemented the Guide to Service
Levels: Fire Fighting, Organization and Deployment and in Alberta, the Alberta Fire
Service Core Competency Framework toolkit for community planning and
emergency response. The development of a minimum set of standards for a
regionalized fire service could be achieved by ensuring a training committee is
formed with stakeholders from each respective fire department.

The operation of a fire department has become demanding in terms of meeting

training standards, apparatus and equipment requirements, records management,
operational and capital budgets and meeting occupational health & safety needs.
The increasing costs for equipment and training poses challenges to the financial
sustainability of some small fire departments. During the regionalization of the
Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency is was noted that some volunteer fire
departments had sufficient budgets for equipment, uniforms, and training, while
others were challenged to equip their fire department. “Tax bases will vary and
there will be direct correlation to the available funding and the level of service
provided by the fire department. Another implication includes meeting the
expectations of the community. The level of fire service residents expect, based on
the amount of taxes they pay, can become troublesome.” 9

If regionalization were to occur within the next 25-years, a governance model for
the regional fire service must occur and include an organizational structure that
would have divisions responsible for Fire Prevention, Training, Health & Safety,
Equipment Maintenance, and Administration.

Regionalization Benefits
With the many challenges facing volunteer fire departments, there are benefits in a
regionalized fire service that include:

• Increased administrative support

• Fire service coordinator to ensure proper records are maintained and
available for audit purposes
• Fire Investigations - trained personnel that are considered an expert
witness in a court of law
• Fire Operations Support - Maintenance of equipment and assets
• Professional Development and Training - training of firefighters, chief
officers, and regional assistant chiefs
• Regional training facility

9Coralejo M., et al. (2018) 2018 Regional Emergency (Fire) Services Report, University of Alberta
Planning Program, Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board.

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 • The same personnel accountability system to be utilized
• Emergency Management - a multi jurisdiction Emergency Measures
Organization (EMO) that prepares for disasters and large-scale
emergencies within the region
• Purchase, maintenance, and testing of equipment as per NFPA standards
• Equipment and personal protective equipment upgrades
• Consistency of equipment being used in terms of interchangeability
• Training consistency in terms of meeting a set standard
There are benefits to regionalizing fire protection services but any move to
regionalize must be taken with all partners and key stakeholders supportive of the
process.

1.8.3 Regionalization Summary

The implementation of a regionalized fire service can be expected to take years.
The process will be lengthy in nature and will require patience and extensive
consultations. As noted in the article Amalgamation 10 Years Later, to maintain the
traditional pride of community, the old departments are still intact and the
community name is on the side of their new trucks, as well as the Halifax Regional
logo. 10

Regionalization is not an easy process and key stakeholders must be identified

beforehand. An account of the number of firefighters and fire chiefs must be
determined and how they will be a part of the process and not bystanders without
a voice. A regionalized fire department will require a unification of standards
operating guidelines (SOGs) and new branding which will include truck decals,
station signage, uniforms, and shoulder flashes.

The economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic will force communities to
review their essential services and how to pay for them. Regionalization is not a
process to be forced upon communities, rather it is an evolution into a new model,
a new way of conducting business and the creation of a new culture. EMT is not
recommending regionalization at this time and the scenario provided may occur in
the next 25-years as the demand for more services and more efficiencies is
required from taxpayers and local authorities.

10 Silver, T. & Giggey, J (2007) Amalgamation 10 Years Later, Firefighting in Canada,

https://www.firefightingincanada.com/amalgamation-10-years-later-1288/

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 52

SECTION 2: Planning
Planning is a key function of any organization and should be done with a focus on
the present needs of the community, coupled with its future growth and how this
will affect the service demands on the fire department. The initial phase of such
planning efforts is to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
affecting the department and the community it serves.

2.1 Three Lines of Defense

In general, fire departments have
identified three lines of defense to be
utilized when planning to meet the
needs of the community. By embracing
and implementing these three lines of
Public fire
defense, the centre of focus is the safety
education
safety of the community, based on
education, enforcement, and response.
Residents of
Regina
1. Education – Fire safety
education is the key to mitigating Emergency
Code
the fire and life hazards before enforcement
response
capabilities
through
they start. With the growth of the inspections
of the
department
community, how will the
municipality continue to meet the
fire safety educational needs of the community?
2. Inspections and Enforcement – If the public education program does not
prove effective, the next step is for the fire department to enforce fire safety
requirements through inspections leading to possible charges under the
Act. Fire inspections are conducted to ensure that buildings have the
required fire protection systems, safety features, and that the systems are
maintained.
3. Emergency Response – If the first two lines of defense fail for whatever
reason, the community, through its fire department, should be prepared to
respond in an efficient and effective manner to put the fire out and/or
mitigate the emergency itself. By evaluating the effectiveness of the fire
stations, staff, and equipment, this report will be able to make
recommendations for related efficiencies.
In conjunction with the three lines of defense, a key industry standard that outlines
goals and expectations for a fire department is the NFPA. These standards are not
mandated but do form the foundation of the fire services recommended best

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 practices. These NFPA standards are also utilized by organizations such as the
FUS group to conduct their assessments of a fire department and the community.
The CFAI and provincial Fire Marshal/Commissioners Offices and provincial fire
schools also use them to form the foundation of their evaluation and training
programs.

2.2 Industry Standards and Best Practices

2.2.1 NFPA 1201

To assist with Emergency Management & Training Inc.’s review, reference has
been made to key NFPA Standards that identify services that should be offered
and how they are to be delivered based on the composition of a fire department.
One of the foundational NFPA Standards is Standard 1201 as it sets out criteria for
providing fire and emergency service to the public.
NFPA Standard 1201 – Standard for Providing Fire and Emergency Services
to the Public
Section 4.3.5 notes:
• The Fire and Emergency Services Organization shall provide customer
service-oriented programs and procedures to accomplish the following:
1. Prevent fire, injuries and deaths from emergencies and disasters
2. Mitigate fire, injuries, deaths, property damage, and
environmental damage from emergencies and disasters
3. Recover from fires, emergencies, and disasters
4. Protect critical infrastructure
5. Sustain economic viability
6. Protect cultural resources

To accomplish this, a Fire and Emergency Services Organization (FESO) must

ensure open and timely communications with the Chief Administrative Officer and
governing body (Council), create a masterplan for the organization, and ensure
there are mutual aid and automatic aid programs in place, along with an asset
control system and maintenance program.
To provide a fire department clearer focus on what the ultimate goals for
emergency response criteria are, the NFPA suggests that response times should
be used as a primary performance measure in fire departments. NFPA 1710
(refers to goals and expectations for Career Fire Departments) has been
incorporated into the evaluation of the fire department’s response and staffing
needs. More discussion in relation to these two standards will be presented later in
this document.

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 2.2.2 Commission on Fire Accreditation International
“When a Fire Department applies a model of risk assessment to help determine
their level of emergency services commitment, they have moved from being
reactive to being proactive.” – quote from CFAI overview information.
In the fire service, the NFPA standards are considered by many as the benchmark
to strive for. Many of these standards have, to a large degree, been adopted and
supported by numerous fire departments. The CFAI is an organization that has
incorporated all national and local standards into an accreditation process,
effectively becoming the model for best practices in fire services. This best
practice is seen as a model of fire service excellence.
To accomplish this excellence model, the CFAI program revolves around 10
categories:
1. Governance and Administration – Includes such things as organizational
reporting structure, establishing and regulating bylaw requirements, etc.
2. Assessment and Planning – Evaluating the organization in relation to
future planning.
3. Goals and Objectives – What are the goals of the fire service? Do they
have a strategic plan in place?
4. Financial Resources – Does the organization have sufficient funding in
place to effectively meet the needs of internal and external stakeholders?
5. Programs – Includes fire prevention, fire suppression, training, and
emergency management.
6. Physical Resources – What is the state of the fire stations and are they
located in the best location to respond to the community in a timely
manner?
7. Human Resources – Includes staffing of the organization in all branches
as well as how the fire service works with the municipality’s Human
Resources Department.
8. Training and Competency – Review of all training programs based on
what the Fire Department is mandated to provide.
9. Essential Resources – This section covers such things as water supply,
communications/ dispatch, and administrative services.
10. External Systems Relations – Includes such topics as mutual aid,
automatic aid, third party agreements, etc.
These categories will be discussed within each related section of this FMP.

2.3 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)

The strengths and weaknesses portion of a SWOT Analysis are based on an
internal review that identifies what is working well, along with recognizing areas for

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 improvement. The opportunities and threats portion of the SWOT are related to
external influences and how they affect the operations and response capabilities of
a fire department.

2.3.1 Strengths
• The City of Regina benefits from having seven fire stations located
throughout the City. These stations are staffed full-time, 24/7. This equates
to a consistent and dependable service for the community.
• There is fire prevention, public education, and code inspection programs in
place throughout the City of Regina.
• A full line of training programs is in place that are coordinated and
monitored by the Assistant Chief of Training.
• The Regina Fire & Protective Services has strong relationships with
neighbouring departments and a long history of cooperative services.
• Regina Fire & Protective Services has a force of well-trained firefighters in
relation to fire rescue, technical rescue, and medical response supporting
the City.

2.3.2 Weaknesses
• Due to the anticipated growth of the City, RFPS will be challenged to meet
the ever-increasing demands to come (specifically that of response times,
staffing and a demand for prevention, education, and inspections of
facilities).

2.3.3 Opportunities
• RFPS should review the present fire service agreements, emergency
medical responses and bylaws to identify further efficiencies, cost savings.
• RFPS should explore partnership opportunities in terms of fire station
design and community utilization.

2.3.4 Threats/Challenges
• The projected growth of the City of Regina and the increasing response
times with no increase in RFPS staffing levels is a continuing challenge for
RFPS.
• The projected growth in terms of diversity in the City of Regina will pose
challenges for RFPS to become a more diverse fire department in terms of
representing the community demographics.
• The costs of the COVID-19 pandemic and the revenue shortfall for the City
of Regina will challenge RFPS to become more flexible in terms of
providing fire and rescue services to the community.

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 The SWOT assessment needs to be monitored, evaluated and reported to Council
by the Fire Chief to ensure that Regina Fire & Protective Services is meeting the
needs and expectations of the community.

2.4 Stakeholder Consultation

2.4.1 Open House and Stakeholder Feedback

To get a complete understanding of how well Regina Fire & Protective Services is
meeting the needs of its staff and the community, and to assist City Council in
making strategic decisions for the future of the community, open house and
stakeholder sessions along with external and internal surveys were conducted.
Interviews were also conducted with the City’s senior staff and Executive
Leadership Team.

The following general comments were received from the community stakeholder
meeting held on March 4, 2020. Feedback was elicited regarding five services
provided by RFPS, including Fire Regulations, Emergency Preparedness,
Response Times, Public Education and Workforce Diversity.

Fire Regulations

Education and prevention enhancements was stressed in relation to the

•
topics of smoke alarms and City fire bylaw requirements.
• Residential sprinklers are costly but there may be some cost savings in
terms of fire insurance.
• More education to landlords and tenants is required.
• The number of rental properties is unknown in the City of Regina as there is
no licensing required; this was viewed as a concern that needs to be
addressed.
Emergency Preparedness

Concern with rail derailment within the City of Regina; what more can be
•
done by RFPS to help alleviate and/or mitigate this concern.
• How is the public notified of emergencies? More educational awareness
needed in this area to inform the public.
• Lack of public knowledge about the City of Regina emergency plan; more
educational awareness required.
• City of Regina has a Pandemic Plan; what is the plan and where does the
public fit in?
Response Times

• Considered a number one priority for RFPS

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 • How do new residential developments impact response times?
• Desire by most, if not all the attendees, to have RFPS meet the quickest
response time.
Public Education

•Use more social media, workshops, mailouts, community newsletters to

educate and inform.
• RFPS should attend more community events.
• Target more newcomers and close the gap of cultural differences by
providing information in other languages.
• More education to businesses, RFPS to build more partnerships with
businesses.
• More education to landlords and tenants in terms of prevention, education,
and property maintenance. This can be as simple as putting together an
information brochure on the “What You Need to Know” highlights or as
complex as designating an Inspector to create a yearly plan on providing
informational sessions to property owners and landlords.
Workforce Diversity

• Understand that diversity is a focus to increase underrepresented groups

including but is not limited to females, aboriginals, racial minorities, and
LGBTQ.
• Build relationships first, then target minority groups for recruitment.
• First get into the community and then you are more able to attract diverse
groups.
• Identify possible barriers relating to the hiring process.
• Do not just focus on firefighting positions, but other positions within RFPS
as well.
• Mentorship program to help prepare future hopefuls for a job within RFPS
• High value in providing diversity training to RFPS.
Overall, the community stakeholder engagement meeting had positive feedback
as attendees learned what RFPS was providing in terms of levels of service,
response times and prevention and education.
On March 5, 2020, an emergency services partners stakeholder meeting was
held with representatives from RPS, Coop Refinery, Regina Airport Authority,
Saskatchewan Association of Fire Chiefs, Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency
and the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region. A summary of the feedback is provided
below.

• There is an excellent working relationship between RFPS and RPS.

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 • A more efficient model relating to RFPS co-response to medical calls needs
to be developed and more meetings need to occur with the Health District
to improve communications and relations as well as protocols.
• More patient documentation is required when RFPS deals with patient care.
• Regina Airport Authority and Coop Refinery continue to build their
relationship with RFPS and there are opportunities for improved service
delivery.
• Regina Airport Authority would like to see RFPS have a tanker closer to the
Regina Airport as they depend upon this for an airside water supply.
• Next Gen 9-1-1 needs to get addressed at it has significant budgetary
impacts for RFPS and RFPS computer aid dispatch system should be able
to interface with EMS to enhance response times.
• High demand being placed on RFPS for fire protection services in other
municipalities may be a challenge for the Department.
• Succession planning and specialized training requirements should be
further investigated.
• RFPS is well respected in the community.

2.4.2 Internal Staff Survey and Meetings Feedback

An internal survey was also conducted to obtain feedback from RFPS staff which
included Operations, Administration, Training, Education, Prevention, Chief
Officers, and support staff. Their 576 responses to the internal survey along with
the following general comments were received, with EMT ranking the top three to
five responses.

EMT wants to thank RFPS staff and stakeholders for taking the time to contribute
to the surveys and stakeholder sessions.

How satisfied are you that you are well equipped to efficiently and effectively
carry out your duties?
i. Firefighters who are primary care paramedics not being utilized fully to
their scope of practice and RFPS needs to work with the Saskatchewan
Health Authority to expand the scope of paramedics and the use of
medications for patient treatment.
ii. Concerns over the staffing levels at Stations 2 and 5 as they are a
single Engine Company station.
iii. Health and safety concerns over the lack of a second set of turnout gear
for firefighters and the number of times that firefighters have not found a
proper fitting set or a set that was clean to use while their primary set is
away for cleaning.

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 iv. Fire Inspectors and Investigators are using personal vehicles for RFPS
business and there are concerns regarding fair compensation and the
lack of a professional image for RFPS.
v. Lack of computer monitors being placed into stations that can be used
for mapping and selecting the best route to an address.
Feedback was positive in terms of the frontline apparatus for the Department,
but some comments focused on the desire for management to be more attentive
to the suggestions brought forward in terms of apparatus design and ideas.

How satisfied are you that you are receiving the required training to
perform your duties in an efficient and effective manner?
i. Opinions voiced that the technical training needs to be improved and
concerns of the Technical Rescue team being at Station 5 a one Engine
Company station. Tech Rescue personnel are limited on what they can
train on given the fact that tech rescue generally requires significantly
more resources than a single Engine Company.
ii. The Training Division would benefit from getting more feedback about
the gaps and knowledge that frontline personnel have and how the
training division can address them for example; a focus can be provided
on nozzle training, fire flow paths, fire attack tactics and strategies, as
well as more auto extrication with less reliance on e-learning.
iii. Some frontline personnel have not participated in suppression or
extrication training for several years and there are concerns over lost
skills.
iv. Platoon trainers are needed or an increase of the number of Training
Captains in the training division as the loss of the Platoon Trainers has
negatively impacted training within RFPS. (Completed)
How effective has RFPS been in planning for succession?
i. Feedback was positive in terms of positions within the collective
agreement, but in regard to out of scope positions the consensus was
there was no succession planning key Chief officer positions such as
Fire Marshal, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chiefs and Fire Chief.
ii. The wage compression is a concern as members are more than willing
to look at out of scope promotions, but the wage compression deters
members from applying. Feedback was also received that taking an out
of scope position in RFPS generally meant a pay cut.
iii. Tuition reimbursement was available at one time for members that
chose to explore post-secondary or specialty courses. The elimination of

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 this incentive has stopped members from seeking out further education,
especially given the fact that there are no professional qualifications
identified for out of scope positions.
In relation to duties you perform within RFPS, what would you say are the
top three issues facing the fire service and/or community (in relation to
fire safety) today?
This question had considerable responses and it was a challenge to pick the top
five and for this question 6 common responses will be identified, and previously
listed concerns will be marked with an asterisk.
i. Staffing levels in the Prevention Division are concerning and need to be
increased.
ii. More prevention, inspections and education provided to property
owners and landlords of apartment buildings in terms of what is
expected and how to meet fire code and bylaw requirement.
iii. Staffing levels and response times were a concern as staffing levels
have not increased while response times and city boundaries have. In
addition, staff are concerned over taking a truck out of service to prevent
overtimes costs.
iv. Diversity needs to be addressed in the department.
v. Concern with out of City responses and minimum staffing being sent to
those incidents.
vi. Reassign firefighters in Dispatch to operations and have civilians staff
Dispatch.
* RFPS primary paramedics are not being utilized to their full capacity and
RFPS should either expand their scope of practice or decided if primary care
paramedics are needed.
* Technical training needs to be addressed and more specifically the training on
high risk, low frequency events such as trench, confined space, and high-rise
fires.
Within your scope of responsibilities in RFPS, are there any other services
that you believe Regina Fire & Protective Services should provide, expand
upon, or even reduce, and why?
Due to the positive response to the internal survey EMT feels it is prudent to
identify the key points that staff provided, and the seven top points are identified
below with common themes having an asterisk.
i. Explore drone technology for RFPS for improved situational awareness.

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 ii. Improve the working relationship with Regina EMS and have an audit to
determine if patient care reports are being properly completed and
provided to Regina EMS.
iii. Increased use of fire stations as a community-based building.
iv. Improve working relationship and programs with new immigrants to the
City and educate them on the role of the fire department and remove
the stigma of getting into trouble for calling the fire department.
v. Increase the use of social media and public service announcements.
vi. Review the hiring practices and explore the possibility of hiring non-
qualified candidates and train and certify them through the training
division to increase diversity.
vii. Relocate the Technical Rescue Team to Station 4 which has 2 Engine
Companies.
* Improve the education programs for property owners and landlords in terms of
fire code and building requirements.
* Increases staffing in the Prevention division to meet the demand for services
and to assign one position to building plan reviews.
Based on your area of responsibility within RFPS, if it were up to you,
what would be different about Regina Fire & Protective Services 25 years
from today?
It was reinforced during the consultation process with staff that they need to feel
free to provide their thoughts on what can be different in the fire department in
the next 25 years, and feedback was constructive in the answers to this
question.
i. Out of scope promotions to come from within the department
ii. Every station to be properly equipped with monitors for mapping and
highlighting the route to the incident
iii. More technology in the form of tablets or laptops for preplans, building
information, fire inspection history as well as GPS in every apparatus
iv. All stations to be staffed by two Companies
v. Have full time civilian dispatchers.
vi. Conduct analysis on administration support services to determine if
technology can be incorporated to improve or reorganize administration
vii. Improve cancer prevention measures and have a washing machine in
each station strictly for station wear
viii. Revert to Regina Fire Department instead of Regina Fire & Protective
Services (it must be noted here that this point was made during every

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 platoon meeting over several days).
Based on your area of responsibility within RFPS, if it were up to you,
what would be the same about RFPS 25 years from today?
Staff were positive and there is little doubt that great pride is within the ranks of
RFPS staff.
i. Public education and community involvement.
ii. Fostering of a positive working environment.
iii. Promotions based upon most senior qualified.
iv. The pride members have in the department.
Do you have any additional comments you would like to add about your
thoughts on RFPS?
i. The 25-year FMP is one of several studies and surveys and nothing
changes in terms of budget or implementation.
ii. The need for a succession plan.
iii. Appears to be more cooperation between management and the union.
iv. Consistency on turnout gear replacement.

2.4.3 Workforce Diversity Program

The Official Community Plan (2017) states that, “It is projected that 100,000 more
people will make Regina their home, and many of those new residents will be
recently landed immigrants. The city’s projected rate of growth and increasingly
diverse population make critical the process of developing a long-term plan.” 11
As the City of Regina grows over the next 25-years it is imperative that RFPS
make diversity a priority within the department. A diverse workforce has many
benefits which include, a broad range of talent, perspectives on issues, cultural
knowledge and backgrounds, different religions, and a connection to the
community. Implementing a diverse workforce program for RFPS must be well
planned and unique to the department. Having a workforce diversity program and
not focusing on it will only end in failure. During the stakeholder consultations
several points were made on how to improve the diversity of RFPS and these
points are relevant and critical to the success of a workforce diversity program
within RFPS.

Stats Canada defines visible minority as “Visible minority refers to whether a

person belongs to a visible minority group as defined by the Employment Equity

11 Design Regina, Official Community Plan 2017

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 63

 Act and, if so, the visible minority group to which the person belongs.
The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as "persons, other than
Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour." The
visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian,
Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Arab, Southeast Asian, West Asian,
Korean and Japanese.”

'Aboriginal identity' includes persons who are First Nations (North American
Indian), Métis or Inuk (Inuit) and/or those who are Registered or Treaty Indians
(that is, registered under the Indian Act of Canada) and/or those who have
membership in a First Nation or Indian band. Aboriginal peoples of Canada are
defined in the Constitution Act, 1982, section 35 (2) as including the Indian, Inuit
and Métis peoples of Canada.

In the City of Regina 19% of the population 12 identifies as a visible minority while
10% identified as Aboriginal and 28% being female age 20-59. Upon review of
RFPS 2020 Annual Equity Monitoring Report, RFPS has a fire department staffing
of 1.6% visible minority and 6.9% Aboriginal as full-time equivalents. As the City of
Regina continues to grow and is expected to have an increase of 100,000 in the
next 25-years, it is imperative that RFPS take the opportunity to create a staffing
model representing the makeup of the City of Regina with an increase in visible
minorities and Aboriginal identities.

EMT has reviewed and will reference the Calgary Fire Department’s Diversity &
Inclusion Framework program (which has been successful for Calgary Fire). This
noted program can provide guidance for RFPS in creating a workforce diversity
program specifically designed for the Department.

The fire service is a paramilitary organization and has served the profession well,
but as noted in the Calgary Fire Department Diversity & Inclusion Framework
program, “This ‘tight culture’ has served the firefighting purpose well as team
members must rely heavily on one and other in life-threatening fire and rescue
operations. This need has not diminished; however, the nature of the fire service
and social norms and expectations are shifting, which has direct impacts on how
our organizational culture is expected to evolve. As a culture, we also must adapt
as predominant social values, such as respect for democracy, human and equality

12 Stats Canada 2016 Census.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 64

 rights, and accommodation of religious and cultural difference, intersect with our
own transitions and historical practices.” 13

Making large or subtle changes to any organizational culture takes time and effort.
The Calgary Fire Department (CFD) recognized that the change of
accommodating diversity is a process of mutual accommodation where both the
organization and the persons entering it must change. For the workforce diversity
program to be successful, the CFD ensured that management, union, employees,
and the City of Calgary were committed to the program.

The CFD made recruitment a key initiative and developed a guide to reach out to
diverse groups within the community and through the awareness, recruitment and
attraction strategies outlined in their plan, they are able to find the best possible
talent to join the department. As noted during the stakeholder consultations for
RFPS FMP, the following suggestions will make a positive impact on improving
workforce diversity within RFPS.
• Build relationships first, then target the minority groups for recruitment.
• First get into the community and then you are more able to attract diverse
groups.
• Change or remove possible barriers relating to the hiring process.
• Do not just focus on firefighting positions, but other positions within RFPS
as well.
• Mentorship program to help prepare future hopefuls for a job within RFPS.
• High value in providing diversity training to RFPS.
There will be challenges with cultures and how they view the fire service or
authority, and, in many cases, there will be financial challenges for an individual to
achieve the prerequisites for RFPS hiring process. There are two options to
overcome the financial challenges for formal fire training:
1. The implementation of a mentorship program can help identify individuals
that want to have a future with RFPS and a business case can be made for
Federal or local business funding to support a scholarship for the individual
to attend a fire school to receive the credited training.
2. RFPS conduct in-house training for recruits that are from a visible minority
or Aboriginal background and train them to NFPA 1001 Level 2. These
individuals would be identified through a diversity program implemented by
RFPS where their skills, education and character make them suitable
candidates for RFPS. The in-house program could partner with local

13The City of Calgary Fire, Diversity & Inclusion Framework; An important part of Workplace
Psychological Health & Safety, 2015.

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 organizations to provide cultural awareness education for the fire service.
There are many benefits to this approach as RFPS has the facilities and
staff to meet this need and recruits are also able to get engrained into the
culture of RFPS. This would also be a great starting point for educating
recruits on the importance of a diverse and respectful workplace. By
accomplishing this, RFPS could take a leadership role in incorporating
diversity and fire fighter training.
The CFD Diverse & Inclusion Framework has been very successful. Of
significance is that CFD believes, “our staff act in good faith and mistakes that
occur are a result of changing workplace expectations to which our traditional
culture is adapting. Behaviours once considered acceptable may no longer be and
we will focus first and foremost on creating awareness and clarity among all staff
regarding respectful, appropriate workplace behaviors.”14
With the anticipated growth of the City of Regina, it is imperative that RFPS make
diversity a priority in the hiring of future employees. The individual(s) responsible
for the development and implementation of a workplace diversity program must be
cognizant of the time and effort required to reach out to the community to build
relationships and attract suitable candidates for RFPS.
At the end of this section, recommendations are made based upon an analysis of
the internal surveys, external stakeholder consultations and feedback during the
master planning process.

14The City of Calgary Fire, Diversity & Inclusion Framework; An important part of Workplace
Psychological Health & Safety, 2015.

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SECTION 3: Department Staffing
Staffing needs were identified as a priority in which Emergency Management &
Training Inc. was to review the capabilities of existing staffing and identify future
needs for each of the following branches: Administration, Suppression, Training,
Fire Prevention & Public Education, Communications, and Mechanics.

3.1 Staffing Considerations

When a community considers the need for the number of fire service personnel,
there is no actual standard that dictates how many personnel are required within a
population or whether the fire service needs to be full-time, composite, or
volunteer in its service delivery format.

As a general guide, some communities refer to other similar sized municipalities in

the determination of firefighter staffing numbers and types (i.e. full-time or
volunteer). It must be kept in mind, however, that every community is unique in its
geographical composition, population demographics, and size of residential,
commercial, and industrial sectors. Therefore, community comparisons should be
utilized with all the aforementioned information in mind. Due to the challenges
related to growth and expansion with the City of Regina, a good comparator will be
the City of Saskatoon.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 67

 TABLE #1: Comparable Municipalities

Currently Regina has one RFPS staff member per 902 people. Saskatoon has one Fire Department staff member
per 827 population. Saskatoon has a 9% higher staffing per capita ratio to the of Regina. One key area is that
Saskatoon has more than double the number for fire prevention staff as does Regina.

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 Regina has 1 firefighter for every 902 residents, whereas Saskatoon has 1
firefighter for every 827 residents.
TABLE #2: Regina/Saskatoon Staffing Comparables

Regina/Saskatoon Staffing Comparables

Saskatoon Pub Ed 2

Regina Pub Ed 2

Saskatoon Maintenance 5

Regina Maintenance 2

Saskatoon Admin 10

Regina Admin 8

Saskatoon Comm 12

Regina Comm 4

Saskatoon Training 5

Regina Training 5
Saskatoon Fire
15
Prevention
Regina Fire Prevention 8

0 5 10 15 20

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 TABLE #3: Regina/Saskatoon Station and Apparatus Comparables

Regina/Saskatoon Station and Apparatus

Comparables

Regina Apparatus Front

12
Line

Saskatoon Apparatus
15
Front Line

Regina Stations 7

Saskatoon Stations 9

0 5 10 15 20

Having noted that there is no standard that recommends a firefighter per

population quota, a department can refer to the NFPA 1710 standard on Career
Fire Departments. This standard identifies a recommended staffing level per
responding company. Other NFPA Standards also make recommendations
regarding such things as conducting calculations for fire prevention staffing needs.
In relation to firefighters, the NFPA 1710 recommends that three firefighters and
one officer, for a total of four personnel, should be on the first responding fire truck.
Presently, Regina Fire & Protective Services has this level of staffing on all their
front run units.

All the previously noted information should to be taken into consideration when
assessing staffing levels within RFPS. As a general guideline, when considering
the overall staffing needs for RFPS, some of the key questions that should be
considered are:
• Is there a proper level of senior staff to manage the Department and its
divisions?

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 • Is there adequate administrative or management staff to effectively deal
with such things as records management and addressing day-to-day
operations of the Department?
• Is there a need for other support staff for vehicle and facility maintenance?

3.2 Professional Services Branch

The Administration Office is located at RFPS Headquarters and is also the location
for the Communications Centre, Technical & Administrative Services, and Fire
Marshal - Prevention. Education & Training, and Safety & Logistics Division are in
the Education and Training Centre building next door. The senior officers include
the Fire Chief, two Deputy Fire Chiefs, Manager of Emergency Preparedness,
Assistant Chiefs, and the Fire Marshal.

The CFAI program has a specific section that evaluates the administration
component of a fire department. In this section, the following points are noted:

Category 9C: Administrative Support and Office Systems:

Administrative support services and general office systems are in place with
adequate staff to efficiently and effectively conduct and manage the agency’s
administrative functions, such as organizational planning and assessment,
resource coordination, data analysis/research, records keeping, reporting,
business communications, public interaction, and purchasing.

Based on the review conducted by EMT, the present Administration Division is well
configured and has adequate resources to meet the needs of the Department.

3.3 Fire Prevention and Public Education

3.3.1 Fire Prevention Division

Fire Prevention has been identified specifically under the Design Regina –
Official Community Plan (Section D9 11.12) as a component of managing the
health and safety of the community and the importance of working with other
government, agencies and stakeholders to deliver programs (Section D9 13.13.1).

RFPS Fire Prevention Division is staffed with seven Fire Inspectors. All seven
report to the Fire Marshal and are qualified as per NFPA 1033 The Standard for
Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator and NFPA 2013 The Standard for
Professional Qualifications for Fire Inspector and Plan Examiner and certified by
the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). The seven fire
inspectors are assigned to one of the seven city districts and assigned to a specific
fire station. The Fire Inspectors are on a regular on-call rotation. In 2019, the Fire

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 Inspectors were on a shortened on-call rotation resulting in staff doing more on-
call rotations and covering the workload in absent districts.

Responsibilities for fire the Fire Prevention Division are aimed toward fire
prevention, inspections of various occupancy classifications; code enforcement
and prosecution for fire code and municipal fire bylaw infractions; fire
investigations to determine origin and cause; and building plan reviews, so that
codes are met.

The Fire Prevention Division strives to complete the annual provincially mandated
inspections for the 300 licensed daycare and long-term care facilities. In addition
to fire inspections and request for inspections, the Fire Inspectors are still required
to respond to the daily inquiries and complaints regarding codes and standards
and information for the re-mortgaging of commercial properties.

In 2018 Bylaw No. 2018-49, The Regina Fire Bylaw, 2018 was approved by City
Council and replaced the Regina Fire Bylaw 2005-18. The bylaw provides
modifications of the National Fire Code (NFC) and adapts other fire prevention
standards, adopts a licensing process for fire protection equipment inspectors and
the regulation of fireworks and pyrotechnics. The bylaw also identifies the fees for
responses to false alarms and facility inspections.

The Saskatchewan Fire Safety Act (FSA) adopts the NFC 2010 Edition. The NFC
references the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) in some instances. Fire
Prevention personnel are not responsible for the enforcement of the NBCC but in
some instances they are permitted to enforce portions of the NBCC. More typically
though, Fire Prevention staff work closely with the Regina Building Standards and
Zoning to support code enforcement.

One Inspector is dedicated to building plan reviews that involve sprinkler systems,
fire alarms and high-risk occupancies. Fire Prevention staff also strive to
accompany City building standards inspectors on newly constructed buildings prior
to occupancy to find and correct fire code deficiencies. This process takes extra
time and effort initially, but the goal is to find and resolve the code deficiencies
before occupancy of the facility, so Fire Prevention staff do not have to return and
deal with the building at a later date. Additional formal training is required for a fire
inspector to conduct larger plan reviews, and RFPS should pursue this training for
more inspectors so the Fire Marshal can focus on strategic planning for each year.
A one-week training program provided by the Justice Institute of British Columbia
has been successfully utilized in the past where the fire inspector participated in
online sections and classroom sessions. This program provided the fire inspector

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 with a well-rounded knowledge of the review process and EMT recommends that
at least one more fire inspector be provided this training to assist with plan reviews
and permit the Fire Marshal to plan and coordinate inspections for the City of
Regina.

In the 2017 Regina Fire and Protective Services Standards of Cover document, it
was recommended that the department ramp up Suppression Division supported
inspections to 2,000 properties annually, to be shared among the four platoons.
Information from the Prevention Division indicates that the Suppression Division
inspections are going well, and the platoons are completing their inspections as
scheduled. The plan is to have all properties identified in this program to be
inspected on a five-year cycle. The company inspections are a positive for RFPS
and in 2020 the program will focus on large malls in Regina. The success of the
Suppression Division inspections cannot be over emphasized as this program
allows crews to engage with the public, provide an initial fire inspection of a
property, and report any concerns to fire inspectors.

The Standards of Cover document also recommended that by 2020, the

Department would complete pre-incident plans for more than 500 identified
properties and begin a three-year cycle of re-inspections to ensure that the pre-
incident plans are current. The Department made an effort to meet the 500
properties but has fallen short of that goal by only completing 100 pre-incident
plans. It has not been determined how or why the Department has not been able
to complete the 500 pre-plans, but several factors can impact such a program
such as call volume, staffing levels, and daily operational priorities.

Currently, when pre-incident plans are completed, they are submitted to the GIS
planner who then creates a preplan that is placed into the station. The preplan is a
laminated paper form that is placed near apparatus and readily available for the
officer before responding to an incident. The Standards of Cover document
recommended that RFPS implement access to electronic versions of the pre-
incident plans and RFPS has implemented on-board computers so preplans can
by uploaded and quickly accessed by responding personnel.

As noted in the following diagram, the Prevention Division conducts on average

1,723 inspections and 280 fire investigations per year.
FIGURE #5: Fire Prevention Division Yearly Inspections & Investigations

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 73

 3.3.2 Public Education
In 1998 RFPS initiated the Keeping Our Community Safe Coalition after a series of
fires that were set by six 11-year-olds. The Coalition is a city-wide program that is
community-based and utilizes a school centered safety model. In the last 22 years,
prevention and education has become a part of RFPS culture and in 2019 fire
prevention and education components were added to the fire officer training
program. Initiatives like this demonstrates the commitment that RFPS has to its
community in relation to fire safety.

The two key strategies embraced by RFPS staff are intervention and education
which reinforces the public education goals of changing unsafe behaviors. These
two strategies form a solid foundation in the prevention culture within RFPS as
fires are not just looked at from a fire department perspective but viewed as a
community problem.

Although prevention and education are now rooted within the culture of RFPS, the
two Public Education officers take the lead roles in community-based intervention
and education strategies. The Fire Officers have a key role with their leadership
and frontline delivery while the public education officers focus on program
development, partnership leadership, statistical analysis, internal & external
training, and resource development.

The Public Education Officers are highly trained, and both meet the professional
qualifications of NFPA 1035, Standard for Professional Qualifications for Public
Fire and Life Safety Educator. In 2016 RFPS eliminated four community relations

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 officer positions and since these four positions supported the public education
officers with program delivery, the work duties of the public education officers
remain high. The 2017 Accreditation Report recommended that the workload of
the two public education officers be evaluated as these positions play a key role in
the health and safety of the public in Regina. During interviews with the Public
Education Officers, it was clear that they are both very passionate about their roles
and the positive effect it has in relation to fire safety. Even with their high
workloads, their energy levels and dedication to RFPS program is to be
commended.

None-the-less, it is recommended that a formal evaluation of the workload of both

public education officers be completed in 2021. As the population grows, so will
their workload. As public education is the front line of public safety, this unit needs
to have the support required to continue to meet the Department’s fire safety
education goals and expectations.

RFPS has identified a concentration of “at risk” populations (low income, low
education, single parent families, seniors, aboriginal populations, and higher
unemployment) into a risk band of approximately twenty square kilometers in the
City. The risk band also includes inner city neighborhoods that are typically
characterized by older homes, smaller lots and with limited spatial separation
between structures. 15 For the City of Regina, 61.3% of fire fatalities took place in
the four lowest income neighborhoods from the years 1995 to 2015.

RFPS is data driven; this information is used to map fire incidents and RFPS has
identified five hotspots that typically have higher call volumes, arson, and fire
fatalities. RFPS has responded to this data by targeting public education activities
in the area and has strategically placed stations, apparatus, and personnel to meet
these demands. The Department also has three fire stations strategically placed
and staffed in the risk band with each station staffing two responding apparatus
and specifically deploy this model to provide an effective level of service based
upon quantifiable data.

As noted in the following three heat maps, it can be seen that the highest
concentration of calls occur in the downtown core of the city and that the current
station locations are well placed with regards to the call densities. Further, the call
densities have been consistent from 2017-2019.

15 Regina Fire and Protective Services 2017 Standards of Cover

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 FIGURE(S) #6: Annual Calls Hot Spot Analysis

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 76

 An analysis of the data collected by RFPS in the Flexible Data Management
System (FDM) has some weaknesses and RFPS has recognized this and is
working towards a new fire data collection system. The data collection process
had gaps in how a residential fire was categorized as officers and fire inspectors
could choose from a wide variety of codes with similar wording but with
significantly different meanings. For example, in terms of a residential fire, RFPS
defines a residential fire as “any incident that causes damage to a home.” 16

RFPS has recognized that the different coding being used by officers can cause
inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the data analysis and is working with the Fire
Inspectors to develop a new data collection procedure that will provide RFPS with
not only the number of fires but information on who is starting them (target
audiences) and what they are doing to cause them (unsafe behaviors). 17

RFPS recognizes the importance of being proactive and studied the Portland Fire
Department (PFD) Blueprint for Success model. The PFD has recognized, as does
RFPS, that lower education, poverty, and mental health can contribute to
increased fire call volumes and fatalities. The PFD Blueprint for success is based

16 What’s New? What’s Happening? Public Education at Regina Fire & Protective Services 2019-
2021.
17 What’s New? What’s Happening? Public Education at Regina Fire & Protective Services 2019-

2021

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 upon several factors and RFPS has utilized their own model from 1998 to expand
its prevention and education blueprint in the City of Regina and within its own
ranks. These factors include:
• Through statistical analysis and partnerships, RFPS builds prevention and
education programs based upon the unique needs and threats in a
neighborhood.
• The PFD Blueprint for Success model empowers fire station officers to have
the autonomy to be innovative in addressing the needs and threats in their
respective neighborhood. With the addition of the prevention and education
component in the fire officers’ program, RFPS has an opportunity to provide
more autonomy to fire officers to address specific needs in their respective
districts.
• The Keeping Our Community Safe Coalition establishes key multi-agency
partnerships with Health, EMS, RPS, addictions, and other community
leaders where holistic collaboration and planning take place to make
specific neighborhoods safe and viable. By identifying root causes,
agencies can collaborate on mitigating issues and working towards a
vibrant and healthy community. This is in concert with the Design Regina
Official Community Plan 13.13.1 to collaborate and work with other levels
of government, stakeholders, and the broader community to deliver, where
feasible community education, outreach, and programs on crime and fire
prevention and disaster survival.
o From 2014-2015 RFPS partnered with the University of Regina and
initiated the Cooking Fire Research Project where over 800 cooking
fire incident surveys were analyzed to identify behaviours and factors
of cooking fires. Through this analysis the programs were developed
to address behaviours that cause cooking fires.
• The PFD recognized that the fire service is typically a “top down” military
structure that can suppress innovation. Empowering staff to come up with
ideas to address community needs is a proactive step in prevention efforts.
The RFPS public education officers have worked miracles on little or no
budget and have been very innovative in terms of program costs and
delivery. They have been empowered to explore innovative ways to
implement programs and it will be desirable to have the station officers
empowered in the same fashion as they can clearly take a lead role in
prevention and education within their response district.
The public education programming has decreased fires significantly through the
hard work of the frontline staff and the public education officers. The core activities
include fire station tours, preschool visits, safety walks, smoke tunnel fire survival

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 activities and babysitting classes. In 2018 staff delivered 443 educational and
promotional programs impacting over 22,000 children and over 17,000 adults.

Community Partnerships

Community partnerships continue to be fostered between RFPS and other

stakeholders because of the trusting relationships among partners. As such,
programming continues to be developed and delivered. New programming
includes:
• Expanded Cooking Fires Public Education Program: This program
identifies the priority audiences as a result of the data collected from the
2014-2015 cooking incident surveys.
• Fire Safety Curriculum for Newcomers: The delivery and development of
fire safety resources for the Newcomer audience. RFPS is working with
Newcomer Settlement Organizations to provide resources and presentation
to Newcomers.
• Youth Fire Setter Intervention Program Partner and Curriculum: RFPS
has partnered with the Eagle Heart Centre to work in partnership with the
Youth Fire Setter Intervention Program and to develop a new Indigenous
cultural curriculum. The Eagle Heart Centre will also provide additional
support for fire setting children and their families.
The two Public Education Officers continue to ensure that education and
awareness initiatives exist that deals with the identification, development, and
implementation of community programs. They have communicated and passed
along their knowledge and expertise in terms of RFPS prevention and education
programs at conferences in Canada and the U.S.

During the community stakeholder engagement session, it was evident that the
Public Education Officers are well respected and known in the community. It was
suggested, however, that there is still a need to be more active in social media,
targeting business owners and building partnerships with business in Regina, and
closing the gap of cultural differences for immigrants by providing fire prevention/
education material in several languages.

Based on EMT’s review, it is recommended that a more formal social media

program be implemented where prevention, education, and suppression activities
are communicated to the public. Also, it is recommended that Due to the
anticipated and continued increase in newcomers to the City of Regina, it is
imperative that prevention/education information by translated into several
languages.

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 3.3.3 Prevention & Education Going Forward
The Keeping Our Community Safe Coalition develops and implements fire
education programs that are unique to the specific life safety needs of inner-city
students and families. To ensure that the programs are current and based upon
the dynamics of the risk levels, they are evaluated continuously and redeveloped
every two years.

The Design Regina, Official Community Plan recognizes that as Regina grows it
will face financial limitations and the costs associated with growth must be
considered. The Regina City Priority Population Study (2011) suggests that the
number of immigrants living in Regina over the next twenty years will be
significant. The number of new immigrants will grow from the estimated 18,500 in
2011 to 48,100 in 2020 and 87,200 in 2030. This projection increases from the
current estimate of 10% to 20% by 2019 and 33% by 2030. This study further
suggests that the newer immigrants to Regina and Saskatchewan will be more
likely to be economic immigrants and less likely to be refugees. Increased
immigration is recognized as a key factor in Regina’s population growth and the
anticipated demands for a wider range of services from the City. The increase in
population and improvement of existing neighbourhoods and the development of
new ones will require more from RFPS.

Fire prevention programs are utilized to prevent fires and ideally a methodology
can be used to predict them as well. RFPS public education programs
performance objectives are based upon the need to maintain the current service
delivery levels of programs and activities, and established partnerships and
coalitions, aimed at decreasing the fire risk in the high fire-risk neighbourhoods,
and secondly to develop, implement and evaluate new programming, and explore
new partnerships to address emerging fire risk trends. 18

The prevention and education programs of RFPS have evolved significantly over
the past 22 years in terms of identifying the target audience and the creation of
programs and messaging. A holistic approach to fire prevention and education can
exist and be expanded upon in the future to deal with not only fire safety concerns
but overall health and safety needs in the City of Regina.

RFPS station officers continue to collect cooking fire incident information, and this
will be analyzed by the University of Regina professor Rozzet Jurdi-Hague from

18 Regina Fire and Protective Services 2017 Standards of Cover

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 2016-2019. Without seeing the trends/numbers from the 2016-2019 period, the
recommendations for cooking fire safety programs is limited.

The future is about innovation and partnerships and a great example is the
Mamaweyatitan Centre (Cree word meaning “let’s be all together”) where a central
building houses multiple tenants including the Regina Public Library’s Albert Brand
and Regina Public Schools Scott Collegiate. The future of fire safety and
education for RFPS can follow the same model in terms of resources and program
development.

As the population grows and more demands are placed upon the public education
officers, RFPS should plan and budget for an additional staff member to lead fire
and health & safety programs for the City of Regina. This staff member must be
qualified to lead a holistic and community-driven approach. This position can be
funded by multiple agencies that impact the health and safety of residents in the
City of Regina (approximate costs $100,000 excluding benefits).

Technology Consideration
• New coding for residential fires should be implemented into the FDM
for 2020 and this new coding be part of the fire and education
component in the fire officer program.
• The pre-incident program needs to be evaluated to determine if the
500 properties was a realistic number. Pre-incident planning requires
a significant amount of time and an analysis should be conducted to
determine an achievable number for pre-incident plans, along with
confirming that the present programs are meeting the needs of the
Department.

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 TABLE #4: CFAI Recommended Inspection Schedule

In the 2017 Standards of Cover, the Department established a benchmark for the
inspection schedule. RFPS Fire Prevention Division is endeavoring to meet this
benchmark. As such, the Division should be commended for its ongoing efforts.

Group Division Occupancy Occupancy Name RFPS

Classification Benchmark
Objectives
A 2 Assembly Elementary & Annually
Secondary Schools
A 2 Assembly Day Care Centres Annually
A - Assembly Other Assembly 3 Year
B 1 Detention Jails, etc. 3 Year
B 2 Treatment Hospitals Annually
B 3 Care Nursing Homes Annually
C - Residential Personal Care Homes 3 Year
C - Residential Approved Group 1-3 years, as
Homes identified
C - Residential Apartments-Low-rise 3 Year
C - Residential Apartments-High-rise 3 Year
C - Residential Senior Independent Annually
Living
D - Business & Personal Offices, barbers, etc. 5 Year
Services
E - Mercantile Stores, Shops, etc. 5 Year
F 2&3 Medium & Low Hazard - 5 Year
F 1 High Hazard Industrial - 3 Year

3.3.4 National Fire Information Database

In the document, Making Choices Today to Secure Tomorrow, Advancing the
Official Community Plan, 19 it was recognized that to improve decision making, data
driven decisions based on commonly understood priorities are necessary. For this
reason, it is imperative that data on fire statistics be reviewed and contribute to the
FMP as they can be used to support and enhance RFPS prevention and
educational programs.

In September 2017, the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics prepared a

document for the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs titled, “Fire Statistics in

19Making Choices Today to Secure Tomorrow, Advancing the Official Community Plan, City of
Regina, 2018, p.8

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 Canada, Selected Observations from the National Fire Information Database 2005
to 2014.” Seventy-four percent of the Canadian population was covered in this
report which included seven participating jurisdictions: New Brunswick, Ontario,
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and the Canadian Armed
Forces. It is important to have background information on the data collected from
2005-2014 for the National Fire Information database as Saskatchewan was a
participating jurisdiction for the data collection and it can be surmised that due to
the population of Regina, areas identified in the report are very much applicable to
the Regina Fire and Protective Services.

The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCIS) is a division of Statistics

Canada and worked with provincial contacts and Canadian Armed Forces staff to
compile and analyze the data for the report. It is important to note that CCIS has
significant experience and a long history of collecting and disseminating safety
related data with policing, courts, correctional services, and other public safety
agencies. The Canadian National Fire Information Data Base (NFID) serves to
improve the analytical capacities for evidence-based research related to fire
incidents, public safety and security that can be used by Fire Commissioners, Fire
Marshals and Chief Fire Officers.

The data collected and analyzed for the 2005-2014 report only focuses on
residential and commercial buildings, vehicles, and outdoor fires. In this capacity
the data collected by the NFID will serve to help RFPS improve fire prevention,
education, policy, and operational effectiveness. Some key components from the
2005-2014 report will be provided here as there is the opportunity for RFPS to look
at the data and utilize it for its service delivery model.

A few highlights of Canadian fires according to the NFID report include but are not
limited to:
• Consistent with the overall trend, the number of structural fires declined in
Canada by 26% between 2005 and 2014.
• Of the 19,062 structural fires in Canada reported in 2014, three quarters
(74%) were residential fires. Over the 10-year period, residential fires
consistently accounted for 6 out of every 10 structural fires, ranging from
69% in 2005 and 2006 to 75% in 2013.
• Among structural residential fire incidents, cooking equipment and smoker’s
equipment/ open flame were the two leading sources of ignition in
residential fires over the 2005 to 2014 period. From 1995-2011 the leading
cause of fire related deaths in the City of Regina was smokers’ materials

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 and from 2011-2018 the two leading causes of fire related deaths in the City
of Regina were smokers’ materials and cooking.
• Of the deaths occurring as a result of structural fires over the 2005 to 2014
period, the majority occurred as a result of fires in the home, ranging from
87% in 2009 to 95% in 2008 and 2010. Data from RFPS indicates that from
2011-2018, 91% of the fire deaths in the City of Regina were a result of a
fire in a residential structure.
The evidence shows that residential fires have been declining. It is alarming,
however, that the number of incidents where there was no smoke alarm in the
residence had doubled over the ten-year period, from 1,183 in 2005 to 2,650 in
2014. Data collected by RFPS indicates that 82% of fire fatalities from 2011-2018
did not have a functioning smoke alarm. This coincides with the national data
where the lack of a working smoke alarm continues to be a problem for the fire
service and causes of fire related deaths in residential structures.

RFPS has been doing an admirable job at promoting the importance of working
smoke alarms and should continue with these efforts.

3.3.5 Staffing Considerations

The NFPA 1035 (3.3.11) identifies fire and life safety education as a
“comprehensive community fire and injury prevention program designed to
eliminate or mitigate situations that endangers lives, health, property, or the
environment.”

Based on recommendations by the FUS group, the Fire Prevention Officer per
population ratio should be approximately one fire prevention officer per 15 to 20
thousand population. With a total complement of seven staff, and a present
population of approximately 257,000, RFPS Fire Prevention Division should have
the equivalent of 13-17 full-time employees (FTEs) within that Division. In
comparison, the Saskatoon Fire Department has one fire prevention officer per
18,000 population and with a staffing level of 15 they fall within the FUS group
staffing recommendation.

To assist with meeting this FTE requirement, RFPS have been utilizing their
Suppression Division staff to support the Department’s inspection program. To
accomplish this in a manner that ensures knowledgeable inspections, it is
recommended that all Captains should be qualified as Fire Inspector 1 and Fire
and Life Safety Educator Level 1. EMT recognizes that training the Captains to
Fire Inspector 1 will certainly assist in reaching benchmarks, however the

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 operational component of fire inspections can never be fully utilized due to station
duties, emergency responses and training.

To assist the Department in identifying staffing requirements, NFPA 1730 includes

a “Five-Step” staffing assessment guideline identified below.

Determination of Current Staffing Requirements

The present allotted time for the Fire Prevention Officers supports a proactive
program to go above the minimum requirements of a fire prevention program. To
assist fire departments in the determination of present and future staffing needs,
NFPA 1730 outlines a process within Annex “C” of the standard. Ultimately,
Council determines the level of Fire Prevention based off the local needs and
circumstances of the community.

Note: Annex C is not part of the requirements of this NFPA document but is
included for informational purposes only.
The five-step process involves a review of the following items:
1. Identifying the scope of desired services, duties, and desired outputs.
2. Review of the Fire Prevention Branch’s overall time demands in its efforts to
offer services.
3. Review of hours presently documented, coupled with the hours required to
meet annual goals of the branch.
4. Actual availability of branch personnel, factoring in vacation and other
absences.
5. Estimating total number of personnel required based on the previous four
steps.
Completing this process will assist the Department in further identifying what
services it not only wants to offer, but what can actually be delivered based on
present staffing levels. More information on this staffing equation can be found in
Appendix “D” of this document and within the NFPA 1730 Standard.

To assist in this process, the Fire Marshal should ensure close tracking of the
actual time spent on each of the fire prevention activities (ranging from site plan
reviews, routine inspections, licensing, complaints, and requests, to name a few).
Further, reporting should include clearly identifying the number of public education
events as well as the number of adults and children reached. By identifying the
time spent on each project and collating this into baseline (approximate) times, the
Fire Marshal can then use those hours spent as a model figure in applying future
initiatives.

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 Further to what has already been noted by the NFPA and the FUS, the CFAI
outlines the following regarding fire prevention and public education:
“A public education program is in place and directed toward reducing
specific risks in a manner consistent with the agency’s mission and as
identified within the community risk assessment and standards of cover.
The agency should conduct a thorough risk-analysis as part of activities in
Category 2 to determine the need for specific public education programs.”

The utilization of existing resources is a cost-effective option for the promotion of

fire prevention and public education programs. To accomplish this, some fire
departments have trained most, if not all their fire officers (e.g. Captains and
above) to be certified to conduct fire prevention/ public education inspections and
programs. This not only brings more resources to the table but also enhances the
level of fire safety awareness by those trained staff.

3.3.6 FUS Suggested Inspection Frequency Chart

Through the utilization of the FUS chart as a benchmark, the Prevention Division
can continue to develop and improve upon their inspection program. This may
better define what can be accomplished with its present staffing complement,
along with presenting options for increasing inspection frequencies (through
utilization of fire officers), and the determination of what is required to meet the
FUS benchmarks.

Through the utilization of the FUS chart as a benchmark, the Prevention Division
can continue to develop and improve upon their inspection program. This may
better define what can be accomplished with its present staffing complement,
along with presenting options for increasing inspection frequencies (through
utilization of fire officers), and the determination of what is required to meet the
FUS benchmarks.
TABLE #5: FUS Inspection Frequency Chart
Occupancy Type Benchmark
Assembly (A) 3 to 6 months
Institutional (B) 12 months
Single Family Dwellings (C) 12 months
Multi-Family Dwellings (C) 6 months
Hotel/Motel (C) 6 months
Mobile Homes & Trailers (C) 6 months
Seasonal/Rec. Dwellings (C) 6 months
Commercial (F) 12 months
Industrial (F) 3 to 6 months

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 It is acknowledged that the FUS suggested frequency chart can be difficult to
address, therefore, priority should be focused on the vulnerable occupancies (e.g.
nursing homes, retirement homes, group homes, etc.), institutional buildings,
assemblies, multi-residential, and industrial buildings.

Given the size of an ever-growing city and a number of large inspectable

properties the Prevention section is understaffed. Properties such as the
University of Regina, RCMP Depot and the Regina Airport tax RFPS resources
due to the sheer number of buildings, and the time it takes to adequately inspect
them within the frequency required.

In order to successfully meet industry best practices in terms of fire inspections

and meet the other demands placed upon the Prevention Division, it is
recommended that RFPS hire additional fire inspectors/investigators within the
next 5 years based upon the findings of a comprehensive work analysis of the
existing job duties being performed by prevention staff.

3.4 Training and Education Division

A fire service is only capable of providing effective levels of protection to its
community if it is properly trained and equipped to deliver these services.
Firefighters must be prepared to apply a diverse and demanding set of skills to
meet the needs of a modern fire service. Whether assigned to Administration, Fire
Prevention, or Fire Suppression, firefighters must have the knowledge and skills
necessary to provide reliable fire protection.

NFPA 1201, Standard for Providing Fire and Emergency Services to the Public
notes, in relation to training and professional development, that:
• 4.11.1 The Fire Department Organization shall have training and education
programs and policies to ensure that personnel are trained, and that
competency is maintained in order to effectively, efficiently, and safely
execute all responsibilities.

The Deputy Chief and the Assistant Chief of Education & Training are aware of the
program needs and facility requirements and have indicated that the Assistant
Chief of Training is tracking much of this. To verify in a more official manner that
each training program is meeting the related NFPA program recommendations, the
Assistant Chief of Training should formally:

• Identify what training programs are required for the services that Regina
Fire & Protective Services is providing.

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 o Each area needs to be evaluated regarding the present (and future)
services to be provided by the Fire Service, such as suppression, EMS,
hazardous materials response, technical rescue, etc.
• Identify the number of hours that are required to meet each of those training
needs based on Provincial and/ or industry standards.
o What are the recommended training hours required and what refresher
programs need to be conducted, and when?
• Identify the resources required to accomplish this training.
• Identify what joint training can be accomplished with other departments to
promote cost efficiencies (e.g. Saskatoon for specialty courses).
• Present an annual program outline at the start of each year to the Fire
Chief, with measured goals and expectations reporting on the completion
success rate at the end of each year.
• Continue to identify how the training facility can be better utilized as a form
of revenue generation for the City.
The training program should include a training plan for all firefighters such as, but
not limited to the follow programs:
• NFPA 1001 – Firefighter levels one and two within the first year
• NFPA 1002 – Driver operator qualifications within the second or third year
• NFPA 1006 – Technical rescue at the awareness levels
• NFPA 1021 – Fire Officer level one and two training for all suppression
officers
• NFPA 1072 – Hazardous Materials response at the awareness level
• NFPA 1041 – Fire Instructor level one and two for those teaching courses
within the department

3.4.1 Commission on Fire Accreditation International

The CFAI Program has a specific section that evaluates the training component of
a fire department. In this section, the following points are noted:

• Category VIII: Training and Competency

o Training and educational resource programs express the philosophy of
the organization they serve and are central to its mission. Learning
resources should include a library; other collections of materials that
support teaching and learning; instructional methodologies and
technologies; support services; distribution and maintenance systems
for equipment and materials; instructional information systems, such as
computers and software, telecommunications; other audio-visual media,
and facilities to utilize such equipment and services. If the agency does
not have these resources available internally, external resources are

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 identified, and the agency has a plan in place to ensure compliance with
training and education requirements.
The RFPS has a Training Section that consists of an Assistant Chief of Education
& Training, four Training Captains, one Workforce Development Coordinator and
two Public Education Officers (PEO) that were added to the training division in
2019.

The training needs for RFPS are identified by the services provided and an
analysis (needs assessment) of these services. The Department uses many
processes to analyze services and to identify training needs including: strategic
planning, corporate goals, legislative requirements, the standards of cover (SOC),
risk analysis and critical task analysis. 20 The Regina Fire Bylaw No. 2018-49
identifies the purpose of RFPS in terms of fire suppression, emergency response
services, rescue services and educational and training programs. It is through the
needs assessment that RFPS can identify what they need to train and focus on.
Training and education can be complex, and it is important to note that for a
training division to be successful, it must focus on the training triad, which includes
training, education, and experience.

Training is typically the skills and performance (hands on), while education is the
knowledge or theory component, and experience is the learning throughout an
individual’s career gained through observation and experience. Consultation with
the Assistant Chiefs and the Deputy Chief in charge of the Suppression and
Rescue Divisions is done as the Training Division regularly conducts a needs
assessment. The training goals and topics are moving away from the classroom
setting to a more dynamic model based upon what operations requests.

The training division is mainly focused on operations staff with little focus on Fire
Officers, Chief Officers or Fire Investigations. The training division creates training
programs that follow the NFPA standards, International Fire Service Association
Training (IFSTA), and International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) standards.
Competency is measured by the use of written and practical evolutions as well as
the use of third-party agencies such as the Office of the Fire Commissioner.

3.4.2 Training Programs

In 2019 a Company Evolution drill was introduced that includes a level of crew
training with evaluations on an undocumented, informal level. The technical rescue
skills are regularly reviewed; however, a formal performance measurement tool

20Accreditation Report, July 5, 2017 prepared by the Commission on Fire Accreditation

International for the Regina Fire and Protective Services

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 does not exist for the department and as such, some gaps may occur with the
specialty (technical rescue) skills.

In 2017 the Accreditation document recommended that RFPS develop subject

matter experts to support training programs delivered from the training division.
Two of the Training Captains would be considered subject matter experts in
specific disciplines such as EMS, NFPA 471, NFPA 1006, Blue Card Command
and components of fire behavior such as flash-over training. The other two training
captains are new to the division and continue to learn and develop their specific
skills.

One of the issues that the training division has faced in the past is the long-term
absence of staff. This poses problems and gaps in the delivery of course content if
a training captain is considered a subject matter expert and is away for an
extended period of time. The importance of having subject matter experts in the
training division cannot be over emphasized, however, training should never rely
on the expertise of one person for the delivery of specific subjects.

To continue its ongoing training efforts, it is recommended that the training division
analyze and prioritize the skills and knowledge of the training captains and focus
on a generalist approach where all training captains maintain a competency level
in key subjects but maintain their skills as subject matter experts in specialized
training topics.

In 2015 RFPS eliminated approximately 20 Platoon Trainers who were able to

provide shift level training in their areas of expertise. This elimination has created
a change in the workload of the existing Training Captains and minimized the
ability to deliver advanced, new, or specific training that could have occurred if the
base level delivery had been completed by the Platoon Trainers.

The Platoon Trainers were assigned on a regular shift rotation and able to deliver
training components in evenings and weekends, whereas the Training Captains
work a Monday-Friday schedule and are not able to deliver during shift rotations. It
is not clear on the exact reason the Platoon Trainer positions were eliminated,
however, the benefits of having them assigned a regular shift rotation and
delivering fundamental training components are numerous and the gaps created
by their elimination are evident.

Currently the Station Officers oversee the delivery or review of maintenance

training. They are encouraged to provide feedback and identify competencies for
skills maintenance, with the lesson plans being developed by the Training Section
and assigned on a quarterly basis. A challenge for the delivery of training

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 programs by the Training Division and the completion of maintenance training
overseen by the Station Officers is the competing priorities for operational staff
during weekdays. RFPS is heavily involved in the delivery of public education and
promotional programs and scheduling conflict can occur with operational staff.

Based on the shift training requirement, the implementation of the Platoon Trainers
should be a priority within the next six months. RFPS management and IAFF Local
181 should strive to develop a memorandum of understanding regarding these
positions and identify the exact roles, responsibilities, and expectations of these
positions.

3.4.3 Training Partnerships

RFPS partners with the Office of the Fire Commissioner (Saskatchewan Public
Safety Agency) in the certification of the following programs:

• NFPA 1002 Standard for Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Professional

Qualifications
• NFPA 1041 Standard for Fire Service Instructor Professional Qualifications,
Level 1
• NFPA 1021 Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications, Levels 1 &
2
RFPS also partners with the Manitoba Fire College, Justice Institute of British
Columbia, and the Lakeland College to provide and certify training.
• NFPA 1041 Standard for Fire Service Instructor Professional Qualifications,
Level 2 is typically delivered by the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.
RFPS provides a significant amount of technical rescue services that are based
upon the NFPA 1006 Standard for Technical Rescue Personnel Professional
Qualifications and includes:

• Rope
• Confined Space
• Trench
• Water Rescue (surface)
• Ice Rescue
• Dive recovery (As of 2021)
Typically, RFPS strives to have IFSAC certification for operational firefighting and
officer skills and competencies, but it does not pursue IFSAC certification with the
technical rescue skills. From a risk management perspective, technical rescue

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 skills are typically utilized during high risk/low frequency incidents where both the
victim and firefighter’s health and safety are at risk.

NFPA 1006 identifies the Job Performance Requirements (JPRs) for numerous
technical rescue categories. To achieve the certification in the NFPA 1006
competencies RFPS can utilize a third party for training or seek out a partnership
with one of their existing training partners. Due to the high risk/low frequency
category of technical rescue, it is imperative that RFPS practice due diligence and
implement a core set of competencies for technical rescue as identified in NFPA
1006.

In 2021, the RPS and RFPS transitioned the dive recovery duties to RFPS. NFPA
1006 identifies the JPRs required for Awareness, Operations and Technician level.
As with most specialty and technical skills there is limited resources or certifying
bodies in Saskatchewan so personnel were sent out of province for the
appropriate training.

NFPA 1006 identifies the Awareness, Operations, and Technician levels where
requisite skills and knowledge are required for each level to identify hazards, use
equipment, and apply advanced techniques to perform technical rescue
operations.

As noted earlier in the review of the Fire Bylaw, it is recommended that RFPS
identify the applicable rescue categories that coincide with the Fire Bylaw and
identify the Awareness, Operations and Technician performance requirements of
such categories. The firefighters assigned to an existing rescue team must be the
priority for RFPS. The cost of this certification is undetermined due to out of
province travel and staff scheduling.

The responsibility of the officers on scene at a fire incident is to minimize the loss
of life and property and to maximize safety for all responding firefighters. In a real
incident, a rapid diagnosis of the situation is made during the speed of the events,
stress, and through the receipt of hundreds of bits of information; to achieve a high
level of situational awareness, officers need experience through training scenarios.
The ability to make good decisions is based on Recognition Primed Decision
(RPD) making where the officer makes a decision within seconds based upon past
experience and the recognition of a problem and then selects a course of action to
mitigate the incident. The downside of RPD is that if officers or firefighters are not
exposed to real life training scenarios, the ability to pull from past experience may
be diminished or flawed, which can result in poor decisions being made on the
fireground.

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 Feedback from the internal survey identified the need for further hands-on training
regarding different tactical evolutions for structural fires. Based upon the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) study, it would be prudent for RFPS
training division to further explore this. It is recommended that the Fire Training
Division research, implement, and evaluate a training program where RFPS are
trained in new and evolving structural firefighting tactics.

3.4.4 Training Division Challenges

The creation, implementation, evaluation, and scheduling of training can be a
challenge for any training division and typically, the larger the department, the
more challenges faced by the training division. Some challenges of RFPS training
division include but are not limited to short and long-term illness creating gaps in
scheduling and subject matter experts.

It is difficult to predict when or if a short-term or long-term illness will occur in the

Training Division, but there may be an opportunity for mentoring to occur in the
Training Division to prepare for when it occurs. The reintegration of the Platoon
Trainers will provide a solid base for a secondment to the Training Division during
a short or long-term absence. The cost projection for this type of secondment is
undetermined as it is dependent upon the length of illness within the training
division.

A short-term focus on the training needs and priorities of RFPS can be viewed as
a reactive fix to a particular problem or training gap, which subsequently gives the
perception of a reactive training division instead of a proactive one. The highly
trained staff of RFPS respond to more than 5,000 service incidents annually
including fire suppression, technical rescue, hazardous material incidents (hazmat)
and emergency medical services. Due to the myriad of services offered by RFPS it
is impossible to review core and advanced competencies every year; however, the
analysis of core and advanced competencies need to be conducted so the
Training Division can implement long-term and ongoing training programs where
firefighter core competencies are regularly completed. RFPS should identify the
high and low risk competencies required as a job function and determine a specific
number of continuing education hours essential to maintain knowledge and skills
proficiency.

Ongoing evaluations and performance measurement of firefighting and rescue

skills is a necessity as all technical skills require a set of specific JPRs, knowledge
and abilities. The maintenance and evaluation of these skills is imperative to
reduce injury and risk during an incident. An inconsistent approach to prioritizing
resources between Public Education, Training and Operational needs can cause

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 frustration with staff at times. This is not an uncommon problem within the
Suppression Division and can be a result of operational staffing levels during each
specific tour of duty. As such, it is recommended that RFPS management identify
the priorities for operations staff and implement a monthly schedule where Public
Education, Training and Operational needs are prioritized.

It was noted that there are some inconsistencies of operational skills being
evaluated on the Platoons. This is where the implementation of the Platoon
Trainers will help to minimize how skills are being evaluated along with developing
subject matter experts within the Training Division to provide the framework for
specific performance-based measurements. With the elimination of the Platoon
Trainers, there is an increased expectation of the Training Captains to provide the
services that were previously supported by the Platoon Trainers. The reintegration
of the Platoon Trainers will not only close gaps on operational skills but will also
allow the Training Captains to focus on the creation and delivery of programs and
career planning within RFPS.

Career Planning

The prioritization of training topics and career planning must be a priority for
RFPS. It is therefore recommended that RFPS create a Training Advisory Group
with representatives from the Training Division, Fire Officers and IAFF Local 181.
The terms of reference for the Training Advisory Group would be the focus of
identifying the training priorities based upon a needs assessment of RFPS.

Historically, the focus has been on operations; however, the needs assessment
must include fire inspectors, investigators, emergency management staff,
dispatch, and chief officers. The Fire Inspectors and investigators require
continuing education as their expertise is technical in nature and these members
can be called to court as an expert witness.

There have been struggles to obtain furthering education for out-of-province travel.
For example, two members have enrolled in a program with Laurentian University
and have completed courses in their program, but they are required to attend an
out-of-province practicum. Requests for the out-of-province practicum have been
denied which means the two members that have worked diligently to complete
courses will not achieve a successful pass in the program.

Most technical or specialty training programs are not available in the Province and
when a case for out-of-province travel can be supported and justified, approval
should be granted when budgetary funds are available. To support any required
out-of-province training, RFPS management should provide a report to the

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 Executive Leadership Team emphasizing the importance of out-of-province
training for technical and specialty training.

During interviews, EMT was advised that the training division is currently
developing a Training Master Plan to define and address the challenges faced by
RFPS training division. This plan should also include the topic of career planning
into its Master Plan.

High Risk/Low Frequency Incidents

RFPS is responsible for numerous technical rescue categories and starting in

2021, became be the lead agency for dive rescue. The training division needs to
develop a performance measurement tool for fire officers as the need for training,
education, and experience in high risk/ low frequency incidents as it is critical in
the development and confidence of the station officers.

Technology Consideration
• Based on feedback received through the internal surveys, it was noted
that the Training Division needs to place more focus on its program
development and training goals as currently directed. Implementing a
more formal evaluation of the training needs will assist in optimizing
goal outcomes.
• To assist with the formal evaluation process, the utilization of an online
feedback survey would also assist the Training Division with identifying
the strengths of the programs, along with future areas for
improvements.

3.4.5 Succession Planning – Management

It only makes sense to prepare firefighters for future promotional opportunities and
an agreement with IAFF Local 181 stipulates the requirements for promotion to
Captain. When a vacancy occurs in management and the position is to be filled
internally, this process is usually referred to as succession planning.

A career path identifying the knowledge, skills, and abilities for out of scope
positions is necessary for any internal staff to improve their chances of a future
promotion. There are three types of succession plans that should be considered
for RFPS:

• The Emergency Succession Plan: This is not intended to be a permanent

replacement and occurs when there is a sudden long-term illness or death
of a Fire Chief or other Chief Officer. The Emergency Succession Plan is to
be utilized as a short-term fix to fill the void during the absence of the Fire

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 Chief or any other Chief Officer. Those that are placed into these positions
are in an acting capacity and need to have the knowledge, skills, and
abilities to perform the job.
• The Standard Succession Plan: This is the most common succession plan
that occurs when those in key positions leave for another job or quit the
department without providing advance notice. The standard succession
plan addresses the knowledge, skills, abilities, training, and education to
prepare members of the fire department to advance in their career into a
chief officer position.
• The Anticipatory Succession Plan: The intent is to have a smooth transition
when the Fire Chief or other chief officer provides sufficient notice months in
advance of their departure. This succession plan occurs when the
department has been proactive in identifying the knowledge, skills and
abilities required for each management position. It is a well thought out plan
that takes years to prepare staff for future promotional opportunities.
Succession planning is not without its challenges as it can be challenging to
ensure that members have an opportunity to develop a career path. A career
development philosophy is a proactive way to keep staff motivated and productive
where promotional opportunities can be limited. It was noted during the internal
stakeholder survey that many members want to pursue opportunities to advance
their careers into Chief Officer positions, but a career development program does
not exist in RFPS. RFPS has numerous out of scope positions that include
Assistant Chief, Fire Inspector, Fire Marshal and Manager of Emergency
Preparedness & Business Continuity.

Ideally, RFPS should strive to groom talent from within its ranks and provide them
the opportunities to develop their skills, education, and abilities so RFPS has a
pool of talent to draw from. To accomplish this, RFPS needs to develop a career
path so members can determine where they want to go in their career.

At the writing of RFPS FMP, the senior leadership team and the Citizen Services
Division have made succession planning a priority and are utilizing a human
resources consultant to facilitate the process. The focus is on all officer level
suppression and rescue personnel which includes Lieutenants, Captains, and
Senior Captains. RFPS needs to develop a career path for each out of scope
position that identifies the knowledge, skills and abilities required for each. Further,
the Citizen Services Division along with the human resources consultant should
develop succession plans for prevention and education staff, Fire Marshal, and
emergency management staff.

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 In Chief Officer (2014) it states, “Successful chief officers depend on their
experience and their experiences to guide them. Their experience can be defined
as the positions they have held while their experiences are the things they have
done and situations to which they have been exposed. Experience and exposure
are not the same thing. Seniority does not necessarily equate to experience.”21

Fire Officer III & IV Certification

The NFPA 1021 states that Fire Officer I-II are supervisory and managerial while
Fire Officers III-IV are managerial and administrative in function. A review of the
job descriptions for the Assistant Chiefs, Fire Marshal, Manager Emergency
Preparedness & Business Continuity, Deputy Chief and the Director of Fire and
Protective Services was conducted, and a list of the minimum core job
responsibilities were identified. The education and experience required for each of
those positions are not identified.

It was noted that the job description for Fire Inspector I-III had a list of education
and experience for each respective position. Most noteworthy is that for Fire
Inspector I, a minimum of six (6) years is required as an active Fire Fighter or Fire
Protective Engineering diploma coupled with IFSAC certification NFPA 1031 Fire
Inspector, NFPA 1033 Fire Investigator Level I and II, NFPA 1035 Fire & Life
Educator, ICS 100 and other NFPA certificates. There is no further change in the
components for Fire Inspector II and III other than a minimum of one (1) year
served in the previous position before advancement can occur.

The NFPA 1021 Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications identifies core
competencies for Fire Officer III-IV. This standard is based upon progressive levels
of performance from Fire Officer I-IV and each Authority Having Jurisdiction
determines what is the best levels of education, skills, abilities, and knowledge
required for an officer. Serious consideration must be given to the NFPA standards
for officer requirements as RFPS strives to follow those standards in the operation
and administration of the department.

Suggested Requirements for Assistant Chiefs

It is suggested that the Assistant Chiefs be required to have a minimum of Fire

Officer III qualifications which include the following courses to be certified to the
NFPA standard:

• Human Resource Management

21Chief Officer, 3rd Edition (2014) International Fire Service Training Association, Fire Protection
Publications, Oklahoma State University.

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 • Community Government Relations
• Inspection and Investigation
• Emergency Service Delivery
• Health and Safety
• Emergency Management
• Incident Command 400
• Information Officer
• Budget Management
• Leading People
Fire Department Safety Officer training that meets the NFPA 1521 Standard for
Fire Department Safety Officer Professional Qualifications incident safety officer
qualifications and Fire Ground Management should be provided to the Assistant
Chief of Operations as the position assumes a senior command role at fires and
emergency incidents.

Suggested Requirements for Deputy Chiefs

It is suggested that the Deputy Chiefs be required to have a minimum of Fire

Officer IV qualifications or an applicable fire service-related post-secondary
degree/diploma.

• Business Operations
• Leading People
• Community and Organizational Leadership
• Planning and Evaluation
• Leadership
• Communications
• Long range planning
• Risk management
Labour Relations

The importance of good labor relations in a career fire department cannot be

overemphasized. Labour relations has a significant role in career fire departments
and RFPS is no exception in that grievance settlements, arbitrations and past
practices shape the foundation of the labour relations in the department. When
there is a clear understanding of the roles that management and the union have,
the working relationship can be rewarding and a positive experience. Having
formal training in labour relations is well worth the time and investment for any
chief officer. This training should be provided to the Assistant Chiefs, Deputy
Chiefs, and the Director of Fire & Protective Services.

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 Director of Fire & Protective Services

The fire service is a profession and bachelor’s degrees and even master’s
degrees are becoming more commonplace for those in the Director of Fire &
Protective Services/Fire Chief position. At a minimum it is suggested that the Fire
Chief have a degree in business or a fire related degree.

3.4.6 Fire Investigations

The responsibilities of the seven fire inspectors are concentrated on fire
prevention; inspections of various occupancy classifications; code enforcement
and prosecution for fire code and municipal fire bylaw infractions; fire
investigations to determine origin and cause; and building plan reviews.

Training is required for fire inspectors to maintain their skills and be deemed an
expert witness in court. The continuing education component is critical for fire
investigators as they must remain competent in numerous skills required in NFPA
1033 Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator. Examples of
the necessary skills from NFPA 1022 includes but are not limited to:

• Fire Analysis - the process to determine the origin, cause, and development
or failure analysis of a fire or explosion.
• Fire Dynamics - the study of how chemistry, fire science and the
mechanisms of heat transfer to influence fire behaviour.
• Fire Investigation Technology - the applied technology related to the
specialized knowledge and skills in documentation of the investigation,
scene and evidence processing, failure analysis and analytical tools.
• Fire Science - the knowledge and study of fire and related subjects such as
combustion, flame, heat release, heat transfer, fire and explosion dynamics,
thermodynamics, kinetics and their interaction with people, structures, and
the environment.
Although RFPS fire investigators have this training, it is critical for them to maintain
competency and continuing education in their field. When testifying in court, fire
inspectors should be able to demonstrate their participation in a continuing
education program that keeps them current in their field of expertise. It is not
uncommon for people employed with specialty skills to meet a minimum standard
of continuing education every year or two.

3.5 Suppression Division

The Suppression Division is comprised of four platoons working out of seven fire
stations, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To make an informed decision on staffing

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 requirements for the Suppression Division, consideration is dependent on the
following points:

• Does the Regina Fire & Protective Services have an approved

response criterion as a baseline?
o Has Council given direction to the Fire Chief regarding expected
response times that are to be met by the Fire Department?
o If so, is the Department meeting this response criterion on a
consistent basis or is it struggling to meet the response times and
perhaps falling behind?
• What change in population, demographics, and industry is occurring that
may precipitate the need for a modification in stations and staffing?
There are four main standards and industry best practices that need to be
considered:
• There are industry standards/best practices in the form of the NFPA’s 1710
and 1730 standards, which offer guidance regarding response times,
staffing, fire prevention, and code enforcement.
• The FUS, which is endorsed by the insurance industry as a tool for
measuring the ability of a fire service in meeting the response time, staffing,
and water supply needs of a community.
• The CFAI, a program that has a fire service complete three key documents,
including:
1. A community risk assessment and standards of cover document
2. A self-assessment manual based on the 10 categories that make up the
program review
3. A strategic plan for the service
(The FMP can be considered the strategic plan for the service.)

3.5.1 NFPA 1710 – Career Fire Departments

To accomplish the NFPA Standard, a fire department should endeavour to meet
the stated minimum response standards based on responding to a 2,000 ft2 single-
family dwelling. The dwelling (noted in the Standard) does not have a basement or
other exposures (buildings close enough to each other to create a greater
possibility for fire spread); however, most homes in Regina have basements and
are often built close enough to each other to create that “exposure” for potential
fire spread, which must be considered by the Fire Department in its response
efforts.

Based on a review of the response data supplied, along with discussions with the
Fire Chief, Regina Fire & Protective Services is witnessing a varying level of

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 success in meeting the NFPA response criteria based on the location of the call.
Calls in the more rural or industrial areas of the city have longer drive times. This
can be seen in the charts found in Section 4 – Community Response. By utilizing
this information in conjunction with the supplied response maps created by
Emergency Management & Training Inc., we can see the effect of road networks,
traffic levels, and traffic control systems on response times by emergency
responders.

More detailed information can be found in Section 4 that focuses on the

Suppression Division, along with goals and expectations in meeting industry
standards.

3.5.2 Modern Structural Fires

The Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI)
develops practical fire service education based upon research to help firefighters
stay safe while performing their suppression duties. The UL FSRI conducts and
disseminates research and training programs that focus on the changing dynamics
of residential, commercial, and industrial fires and the impact it has on the
strategies and tactics for the fire service. 22

In 2005 the UL FSRI conducted an experiment to gather data on the difference of

modern and legacy furnishings in a living room fire. The modern and legacy rooms
were filled with furnishings commonly found in their day and both were lit with a
candle on the right side of the sofa. The modern room transitioned to flashover in 3
minutes and 30 seconds while the legacy room transitioned to flashover at 29
minutes and 30 seconds. 23

Research and studies continue to confirm that today’s residential fires burn hotter
and faster due to the modern furnishings and synthetic materials. This poses
significant challenges for arriving firefighters as suppression and rescue times are
significantly decreased. The importance of a quick initial response and adequately
staffed suppression crews cannot be stressed enough, as today’s residential fires
involving modern construction pose significant challenges and risks for today’s fire
service.

22 UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute https://ulfirefightersafety.org/about-us.html

23Comparison of Modern and Legacy Home Furnishings https://ulfirefightersafety.org/research-
projects/comparison-of-modern-and-legacy-home-furnishings.html

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 The fire service has recognized this, but the general public may not be aware of
the decreased time they have to exit a residential structure fire. The hazards to
firefighters have increased due to the hotter and faster fires from modern
furnishings and synthetic materials along with the changes in residential building
construction.

A study by NIST recognized that strategies and tactics need to change when
fighting today’s modern residential structure fire. The trial study confirmed that an
effective strategy today was the placement of water directly on the blaze instead of
ventilating the building and can make conditions safer and help firefighters
extinguish the fire faster. What this evidence is showing is that the fire service
must continually adapt its strategy and tactics as residential construction has
significantly changed in the last 20 years. The NIST recognized that there is not a
“one tactic” solution for every residential fire scenario and firefighters will need to
choose from interior or transitional attack depending upon the situation. The ability
to choose and change tactics is determined by the level of training of the officers
and firefighters that arrive on scene.

It is recommended that the Fire Training Division research, implement and

evaluate a training program where RFPS personnel are trained in new and
evolving structural firefighting tactics.

3.6 Health and Wellness

Health and wellness of staff is a key focus for all municipalities and RFPS is no
exception. During the review by EMT, it was noted that all the stations have been
equipped with workout facilities to ensure that staff can keep fit, which helps to
reduce work related injuries. Along with this fitness equipment, each station is
equipped with diesel exhaust systems to reduce exposure to vehicle exhaust.
Diesel exhaust has been contributed to health-related issues when people are
exposed to it over long duration. By having these systems in each station, the
health concern is greatly reduced.

Over the years the quality of the firefighters’ gear has improved and continues to
meet all recommended standards, along with being tested on a regular basis. This
ensures that RFPS staff are properly equipped and protected from most
environments and related exposures that they may meet during the execution of
their duties.

From a mental health perspective, the Department has “Peer Mentors” on staff to
assist any of the members who may be dealing with personal and/or emotional
challenges. This program helps to identify and address issues before they become

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 critical in nature. If there is a need to move a situation to a higher level, the
Department has a program in place with a local health services group that offers
confidential counselling to the members of RFPS.

RFPS also has a parental leave program for parents of newborn and/or adopted
child. This allows the parents the opportunity to be at home with their new family
members for an extended period.

All the previously noted initiatives have helped to promote a more supportive
environment for all the staff at RFPS. As such, the City’s management, senior fire
management and the Regina Firefighters Association IAFF Local 181 are to be
commended for their ongoing efforts in ensuring the health and safety of the staff.

3.7 Salary Compression

Salary compression can be defined as the salary of a lower ranking Officer or
Firefighter being paid almost as much as their colleagues in higher ranking
positions. Two of the identified issues from the internal survey was that of wage
compression between the out of scope officers and in-scope members of Local
181 and the desire to have out of scope promotions to come from within the rank
and file of RFPS. During the consultation process and noted in the survey,
members of the RFPS are interested in advancing their careers through
succession planning and being compensated appropriately for the promotion to an
out of scope position. However, the salary compression currently within RFPS
officer ranks discourages internal candidates from seeking an out of scope
promotional opportunity. For example, a 2nd year Captain earns $132,239 before
overtime and statutory holiday pay whereas an Assistant Chief of Operations
makes $133,393 for much more responsibility. Once overtime and statutory
holiday pay, the Captain is making more than the Assistant Chief of Operations
whom they report to. This leads to Captains not applying for more senior positions
as their take home salary would decrease.

This issue of salary compression must be taken seriously as it is negatively

impacting succession planning as well as recruitment and retention for out of
scope positions within RFPS. It is generally understood that cities want to keep
their best people and those that add value to the corporation and salary
compression is a detriment to promoting from within RFPS. When salary
compression exists, there is a demoralizing effect and during the consultation
process there were indications of existing disappointment with the salary
compression.

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SECTION 4: Community Response
4.1 Fire Suppression/Emergency Response
There are 256 full-time Fire Suppression personnel within the RFPS. The
Suppression Division is comprised of four platoons working out of seven fire
stations, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. There is a total of 64 firefighters per
platoon with a minimum staffing level of 47 per platoon.

4.1.1 NFPA (1710)

The purpose of NFPA 1710 1.2.1 states, “The purpose of this standard is to
specify the minimum criteria addressing the effectiveness and efficiency of the
career public fire suppression operations, emergency medical service, and special
operations delivery in protecting the citizens of the jurisdiction and the
occupational safety and health of fire department employees”.
Fire Suppression Operating Units

RFPS utilizes Engine, Ladder and Quint Companies and mobile water supply
Tankers. The NFPA 1710 (5.2.3) defines operating units as fire company staffing
requirements shall be based on minimum levels necessary for safe, effective, and
efficient operations.

An Engine Company’s primary function is to pump and deliver water and perform
basic firefighting at fires and search and rescue functions. NFPA 1710
recommends a minimum of four on-duty members. In a first due response zone
with a high number of incidents, geographical restrictions, geographical isolation,
or urban areas as identified by the AHJ, an Engine Company shall be staffed with
a minimum of five on-duty members. Further to this, NFPA 1710 states that a first
due Engine Company with tactical hazards, high-hazard occupancies, or dense
urban areas, as identified by the AHJ, these companies shall be staffed with a
minimum of six on-duty members.

A Ladder Company’s primary function is to perform the variety of services such

as forcible entry, ventilation, search and rescue, aerial operations for water
delivery and rescue, utility control, illumination and overhaul and salvage work. A
Ladder Company shall be staffed with a minimum of four on-duty members. In a
first due response zone with a high number of incidents, geographical restrictions,
geographical isolation, or urban areas as identified by the AHJ, the Ladder
Company shall be staffed with a minimum of five on-duty members. In first due
response zones with tactical hazards, high-hazard occupancies, or dense urban

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 areas, as identified by the AHJ, a Ladder Company shall be staffed with a
minimum of six on-duty members.

A Mobile Water Supply Tanker is an apparatus whose primary function is to pick

up, transport, and deliver water to the scene of a fire or other incident that requires
a dedicated water source. A tanker shall be staffed with a minimum of two on-duty
members.

NFPA 1710 identifies other types of companies that are utilizing specialized
equipment and apparatus shall be provided to assist Engine and Ladder
companies as per the fire departments standard operating procedures. These
companies shall be staffed with the minimum number of members to deal with the
tactical hazards, high-hazard occupancies, high incident frequencies, geographical
restrictions and other pertinent factors identified by the AHJ.

A First Due Response Zone is defined by NFPA 1710 (3.3.28) as the geographic
area surrounding a fire station in which a company from that station is projected to
be the first to arrive on the scene of an incident.

Geographic Isolation as defined by NFPA 1710 (3.3.32) is a first due response

zone or jurisdiction with staffed resources where over 80 percent of the response
area is outside of a 10-minute travel time from the next closest staffed suppression
apparatus.

Geographic Restriction is defined by NFPA 1710 (3.3.33) as a defined condition,

measure or infrastructure design that limits response and/or results in predictable
response delays to certain portions of the jurisdiction.

The 2020 edition of NFPA 1710 The Standard for the Organization and
Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and
Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments identifies the
minimum requirements relating to the deployment and organization of fire
suppression services, emergency medical operations, and special operations to
the public by the career fire department.

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 The following are excerpts from the NFPA standard for certain situations:

Single-Family Dwelling - Initial Full Alarm Response

The NFPA 1710 standard defines the initial full alarm assignment to a single-family
dwelling as a 2,000 ft2 (186 m2) two-storey single-family dwelling without a
basement and with no exposures present. The minimum staffing levels
recommended for the initial response is 16 firefighters plus an Incident
Commander, and 17 if an aerial device is required to respond. The NFPA 1710
standard identifies that the first arriving engine company should arrive on scene in
240 seconds/4 minutes (travel time) and 360 seconds/6 minutes (travel time) or
less for the initial full assignment for 90% of these incidents.

Open-Air Strip Shopping Centre - Initial Full Alarm Response

The NFPA 1710 standard defines an initial full alarm assignment to an open-air
strip shopping centre ranging from 13,000 ft2 to 196,000 ft2 (1203 m2 to 18,209 m2)
in size and requiring a minimum of 25 firefighters plus 2 commanders dedicated to
managing the incident, and 26 firefighters if an aerial device is required. The NFPA
1710 standard identifies that a full initial alarm should arrive on scene in 480
seconds/8 minutes (travel time) or less to 90% of these incidents.

Apartment - Initial Full Alarm Response

The NFPA 1710 standard defines an initial full alarm assignment to a structure fire
in an apartment as a 1,200 ft2 (111 m2) apartment within a three-storey, garden-
style apartment building requiring a minimum of 27 firefighters including 2
commanders dedicated to managing the incident, and 28 if an aerial device is
required to respond. Due to the multiple storeys involved, it is expected at least
one or two aerial devices will be responding to this type of incident. The NFPA
1710 standard identifies that a full initial alarm should arrive on scene in 480
seconds/8 minutes (travel time) or less to 90% of these incidents.

High-Rise - Initial Full Alarm Response

The NFPA 1710 standard defines a high-rise as a building with the highest floor
greater than 75 ft (23 m) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.
The initial full alarm assignment to a high-rise structure fire shall be a minimum of
42 firefighters (43 if the building is equipped with a fire pump) including 2
commanders establishing a stationary command post outside the hazard area for
overall coordination and direction of the initial full alarm assignment conducted in
compliance with the incident command system. The NFPA 1710 standard identifies

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 that a full initial alarm should arrive on scene in 610 seconds/10 minutes 10
seconds (travel time) or less to 90% of these incidents.

RFPS has a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for high-rise response. Due to
the complexity of working fires in a high-rise, it is recommended that the High-Rise
Response SOP 202-09 be reviewed to ensure that the functions identified in SOP
coincide with functions identified in NFPA 1710.

To provide a fire department clearer focus on what the ultimate goals for
emergency response criteria are, the NFPA suggests that response times should
be used as a primary performance measure by fire departments. The NFPA’s 1710
Standard for career fire department response times is noted herein.

The NFPA standards measures with a percentile ranking, which is the percentage
of responses that meet the target timeframe. For a fire suppression incident, the
90th percentile response time is the time that the department meets 90 out of 100
responses and should be reached in four minutes travel time or less, with the
second company arriving with a minimum staffing of 4 personnel in six minutes or
less travel time and for other than a high-rise a full alarm assignment arriving in 8
minutes or less. For a high-rise, 6 minutes, 10 seconds or less travel time the
deployment of an initial alarm assignment at a suppression incident.

In relation to response times, section 4.1.2.3. alarm handling identifies that the fire
department shall establish the following objectives:

• When an alarm is received at a public safety answering point (PSAP) and

transferred to a secondary answering point or communications centre, the
agency responsible for the PSAP shall establish a performance objective of
having an alarm transfer time of not more than 30 seconds for at least 95
percent of all alarms processed as specified by NFPA 1221.
• The fire department shall establish a performance objective of having an
alarm processing time of not more than 64 seconds for at least 90 percent
of the alarms and not more than 106 seconds for at least 95 percent of the
alarms as specified by NFPA 1221.
NFPA 1710 (4.1.2.1) states that the fire department shall establish the following
performance objectives for the first due-response zones that are identified by the
AHJ.

• 80 seconds for turnout time for fire and special operations response and 60
seconds turnout time for EMS response
• 240 seconds (4 minutes) or less travel time for the arrival of the first arriving
engine company at a fire suppression incident.

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 • 360 seconds (6 minutes) or less travel time for the arrive of the second
company with a minimum staffing of 4 personnel at a fire suppression
incident.
• For other than high-rise, 480 seconds (8 minutes) or less travel time for the
deployment of an initial full alarm assignment at a fire suppression incident.
• For high-rise, 610 seconds (10 minutes) or less travel time for the
deployment of an initial full alarm assignment at a fire suppression incident.
• 240 seconds (4 minutes) or less travel time for the arrival of a unit with first
responder with automatic external defibrillator (AED) or higher-level
capability at an emergency medical incident.
• 480 seconds or less travel time for the arrival of an advance life support
(ALS) unit at an emergency medical incident, where this service is provided
by the fire department provided a first responder with an AED or basic life
support (BLS) unit arrives in 240 seconds or less travel time.

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 FIGURE #7: NFPA 1710 Response time Diagram

When considering the response times and related needs for a community,
FIGURE #5 – Time Vs. Products of Combustion presents the reader with a
general understanding of how quickly a fire can grow within a furnished residential
structure over a short period of time. Depending on many factors, the rate of
growth can be affected in several ways, increasing or suppressing the burn rate
through fire control measures within the structure.

When we look at the response time of a fire department, it is a function of various

factors including, but not limited to:
• The distance between the fire department and response/incident location
• The layout of the community
• Impediments such as weather, construction, traffic jams, lack of direct
routes (rural roads)
• Notification time
• Turnout time (time from notification to leaving the station)

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 • Assembly time of the firefighters, both at the fire station and at the scene of
the incident
The criticalness of immediate initiation of fire suppression activities is illustrated in
the Fire Response Curve. The curve within the chart notes the following time
variables:

• Detection of fire – when the occupant discovers that there is a fire. The fire
may be in a very early stage or could have been burning for quite some
time before being detected.
• Report of fire – when someone has identified the fire and is calling 9-1-1 for
help.
• Dispatch – the time it takes the dispatcher to receive the information and
dispatch the appropriate resources.
• Response to the fire – response time is a combination of the following:
• Setup time – the time it takes for the fire crews to get ready to fight the fire.
• Fighting the fire – actual time on scene extinguishing the fire.

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 FIGURE #8: Time vs. Products of Combustion

Note: Figure #8, obtained from the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, identifies when a
residential fire activates and prevents fire growth and flashover.

Based on fire growth, as demonstrated in Figure #8 and the previously noted

associated timelines, the overall goal of any fire department is to arrive at the
scene of the fire and/ or incident as quickly and as effectively as possible. If a fire
truck arrives on scene in eight minutes or less after the initial detection of the fire,
with a recommended crew of four or more firefighters, there is increased
opportunity to contain the fire by reducing further spread to the rest of the
structure. Alternatively, if the first fire attack team arrives with fewer than four
firefighters on board, it is limited to what operations it can successfully attempt.

Based on studies and evaluations conducted by the NIST and the NFPA, no
interior attack is to be made by the firefighters until enough personnel arrive on
scene. The expectation is that a minimum of three firefighters and one officer
arrive on scene to make up the initial fire suppression team. This team of four can
effectively do an assessment of the scene, secure a water source (fire hydrant),
ensure the fire truck is ready to receive the water and get the fire pump in gear, as
well as unload and advance the fire hose in preparation for entry into the structure.
A team of four allows for adherence to the recommended “two-in, two-out” rule,

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 referring to the presence of two firefighters inside the structure with two outside
ready to go in as back-up.

Not having enough firefighters at an emergency scene can create an unsafe

situation for fire personnel. It can also cause a delay in conducting fire
suppression, lifesaving, and/or rescue operations. The NFPA 1710 standard on
firefighting notes that for a typical two-storey, single-family dwelling (without a
basement), the required response of 16 (17 if an aerial device is used) firefighters
on scene is necessary to effectively battle the fire. RFPS meets these staffing
requirements on a consistent basis.

It must also be noted that RFPS responds to more than just fires. For example,
motor vehicle collisions can create a medical or fire emergency that also needs to
be addressed urgently. It is therefore necessary for all calls for assistance to be
answered as efficiently and effectively as possible.

To be effective, a fire department should strive to provide an adequate, effective,

and efficient fire suppression program designed to control/extinguish fires for the
purpose of protecting people from injury, death or property loss. To accomplish
this, the staff at RFPS need to ask:
• Does the fire department have a comprehensive training program and
evaluation system for all positions?
• Does the fire department have a system to ensure that an adequate
number of trained personnel respond to all emergencies within a
reasonable time period?
• Is the fire department provided with adequate resources to safely and
effectively handle the risks it will be called upon to mitigate?
• Does the fire department use SOPs to define expected fire department
actions for the wide variety of situations it might encounter?
• Does the fire department have automatic response agreements to
guarantee an adequate level of personnel at all times?
The Department should review these questions annually to confirm if it has and
continues to implement effective measures to meet community and Department
needs.

4.1.2 Residential Sprinkler System

Sprinklers reduce the risk of serious injury to both civilians and firefighters.
Sprinklers can control a fire before the fire department arrives. Fires controlled by
sprinklers are more likely to be confined to the room of origin than fires in

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 properties without sprinklers. Working smoke alarms provide an essential early
warning yet they cannot control the fires; sprinklers can and do. 24

A residential sprinkler will activate prior to a fire growing into flashover conditions.
Flashover occurs when the entire room and its contents ignite resulting in a fully
involved room and contents fire with untenable hot gases and fire from floor to
ceiling. These conditions are not survivable, and the research indicated that where
a fire is present, it can become untenable within a few minutes after a smoke
alarm is activated. Residential systems are one part of a total system of safety
where smoke alarms (early detection) plus early suppression (sprinkler system)
and a quick evacuation (practiced drills) reduce fatalities and harm to the public.

The National Fire Incident

Database indicated that through a
10-year period, most jurisdictions
indicated a large number of
unknowns regarding residential
sprinkler systems. The available
data indicated that in the majority
(95%) of the fire related incidents Photo from Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition
in 2014, there was either no sprinkler
system in place where a death occurred, or it was unknown as to whether there
was a sprinkler system present.

A 2017 NFPA fact sheet titled, Sprinklers in Reported U.S. Fires during 2010 to
2014, reported that the civilian fire rate of 0.8 per 1,000 reported fires was 87%
lower in properties with sprinklers than in properties with no automatic
extinguishing system. It further identified that the average firefighter fireground
injury rate of 20 per 1,000 reported fires was 67% lower where sprinklers were
present.

In October 2017, a study titled, Sprinkler Systems and Residential Structure Fires;
Revisited: Exploring the Impact of Sprinklers for Life Safety and Fire Spread was
published by the University of the Fraser Valley. The study analyzed data from
439,256 fire incidents in Canada and found that 97% of the fires occurring in
residential buildings without sprinkler protection resulted in 99.2% of the fire
deaths. Less than 1% of fires in a single detached residential property occurred in
the presence of sprinkler protection. Based upon the 10-year period, it was

24 Sprinkler Systems and Residential Structural Fires-Revisited: Exploring the Impact of Sprinklers
for Life Safety and Fire Spread, Revised February 2018. University of the Fraser Valley, School of
Criminology & Criminal Justice.

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 identified that in the absence of fire sprinkler protection, the death rate per 1,000
more than tripled that of sprinklered homes. The serious injury rate per 1,000 was
double that of non-sprinklered homes versus sprinklered.

United States Residential Sprinkler Cases

Due to the lack of Canadian community studies regarding residential sprinklers,
EMT is providing a summary of three community studies from the U.S. in Appendix
F.

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 FIGURE #9: Home Fire Timeline

25

Environmentally Friendly
In 2009 the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) partnered with FM Global, one
of the world’s largest commercial property insurers, to identify, analyze and
evaluate the environmental impact caused by home fires—a topic of increasing
international importance. FM Global conducted full-scale tests to identify the
environmental impact of sprinklered and non-sprinklered home fires. The testing
identified the positive environmental impacts of sprinkler systems and showed:

• Greenhouse gas emissions were cut by 97.8%

• Water usage was reduced between 50% and 91%
• Fewer persistent pollutants, such as heavy metals, were found in
sprinkler wastewater versus fire hose water.
• The high pH level and pollutant load of non-sprinkler wastewater are an
environmental concern.
Residential sprinkler systems can reduce the amount of water run-off and
pollution, reduce fire damage by up to 71%, and reduce the amount of water used
to fight a residential fire by as much as 91%. 26

25 Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition

26 Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs

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 As part of the RFP deliverables for RFPS FMP, EMT considers It economical to
use technology to protect the health and safety of firefighters and reduce
workplace injuries and it is equally economical and proactive to use fire
suppression technology such as residential sprinkler systems to reduce the impact
of fire in the community. Residential sprinklers are part of a community’s risk
reduction program as fire and its impact to the community and people can be
proactively addressed while minimizing the long-term economic impact in terms of
injuries, deaths, lost wages, property damage, firefighter injuries and
environmental impact.

Residential Sprinkler Options

There are some misconceptions of residential sprinkler systems regarding
activation of a sprinkler head and cost for new construction. An educational
process is required for the public and construction industry on the many benefits of
having a residential sprinkler system.

Research indicated that the installation of residential sprinklers increases new

construction by 1-1.5 percent of the total cost of new construction, but a 2013
report commissioned for the Regina & Region Home Builders’ Association which
includes Community Developers, Home Builders, Trade Contractors, Renovators,
Service & Supply Companies, and other professionals identified that the actual
cost significantly exceeds the 1.5 percent and that the cost of a residential
sprinkler system can range from $15,000-$20,000 per home.

The Home Fire Sprinkler Cost Assessment (2013) report by the Newport Partners
and The Fire Protection Research Foundation conducted a study to update the
information attained in the Home Fire Sprinkler Cost Assessment 2008 report. All
but one of the 17 communities studied were from the United States with Pitt
Meadows, B.C. being the only Canadian city.

Pitt Meadows, B.C. has mandated residential sprinklers as per NFPA 13D
standards since 1998. The Pitt Meadow homes used in the study had a residential
sprinkler system supplied by a public water source with CPVC piping material.
While there is an additional cost, residential sprinklers are an available fire
protection technology that has a proven track record of saving lives.

“If municipalities view sprinklers to be part of their goal in protecting citizens and
their properties, then they need to find ways to reduce fees, eliminate
redundancies in the approvals process, and identify efficiencies that - at the end of
the day - make the cost of a sprinkler system negligible for builders,” says Peter
Simpson, former CEO of the Greater Vancouver Home Builders Association and

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 now a firefighter with the Dayspring and District Fire Department in Nova Scotia.
“Builders also need to understand that the Fire Service is not their enemy. We are
just out there to help protect the families who buy their houses.”27

A residential sprinkler system does not replace the need for effective fire
department staffing and a quick response time; rather, it is a proactive way to
reduce fire related deaths, property damage and environmental impact. The issue
here is not whether residential sprinklers save lives, because evidence
demonstrates they do, but how to work collaboratively with community
stakeholders and the Regina & Region Home Builders Association to educate
homeowners on the life-saving benefits of residential sprinklers.

Based on the information noted, it is recommended that RFPS partner with key
stakeholders such as the Regina & Region Home Builders Association to:

1) Educate homeowners on the benefits of a residential sprinkler system as

the city boundaries grow and exceed reasonable response times.
2) Homebuilders can offer residential sprinklers as an option in their home
designs and the customer can decide whether they want to proceed.
In communities where RFPS has an automatic fire service agreement, the
installation of residential sprinklers should be promoted in new residential
construction.

4.1.3 High Intensity Residential Fires

In 2007 a fire in a condominium complex construction in Edmonton destroyed 18
homes and damaged 76 others. A multi-house fire destroyed three homes in
Saskatoon in 2018 with 2 of the homes being under construction at the time.

The Government of Alberta created the High-Intensity Residential Fires, a

campaign working to review the factors surrounding high-intensity residential fires
in the Province. In 2007 the final report and recommendations were provided for
the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on ways to reduce the occurrence
and severity of High Intensity Residential Fires in the future. A High Intensity
Residential Fire (HIRF) is defined as a fire involving rapid heat release and fire
spread beyond the point of origin that usually involves adjacent buildings and the
early exposure of large amounts of combustible materials. The HIRFs can occur in

27The Canadian Fire Chief Magazine, (Spring Edition 2019) No Home Unsprinklered: Myth busting
and Team-building, p. 18

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 occupied residential buildings, unoccupied residential buildings that are under
construction, and a mix of occupied and under construction residential buildings. 28

The intent of the requirements for HIRF are to provide more fire protection during
the building construction that is outside of a 10-minute response time by the fire
department. The requirements for HIRF are intended to prevent the spread of fire
and property damage and to give the fire department a few extra minutes to arrive
and suppress the fire. Part of the HIRF requirements include non-combustible
siding, exterior gypsum board, no side-yard windows or the use of residential
sprinkler systems.

The HIRF building regulations in Alberta are not intended to minimize the need for
a quick-fire department response time, but as the City of Regina grows
consideration of these building standards should be given to explore the
introduction of fire-resistant construction materials in areas with extended
response times. Understanding how quickly a fire can reach flashover is important
in assessing the response capacity of RFPS. Extended response times increase
the probability of flashover occurring before the first arriving engine company and
more so with response times exceeding 10-minutes as the fire will spread from the
room of origin due to flashover conditions.

It is recommended that the City of Regina identify geographic areas that exceed
industry best practice response time and work with the construction industry to
educate homeowners on the availability of fire-resistant construction methods.

Technology Consideration
• RFPS, working with their municipal partners, should use the HIRF
model to reduce fire risks.
• The intent of the use of technology and fire-resistant materials is to
either extinguish the fire or minimize it until the arrival of fire
personnel. Slowing the growth of fire increases the chance of survival
for civilians and allows firefighters to quickly extinguish the fire in a
safe and efficient manner. Smaller fires are safer to suppress and
require less resources on scene.

4.2 Emergency Response Data

The RFPS responds to a wide variety of calls including alarm calls, fires, medical
responses, rescue calls, hazardous materials, and assisting the public in a variety
of ways. The following chart breaks down the call types.

28 High Intensity Residential Fires Working Group, Final Report, October 31, 2007

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 It is important to note that some types of calls such as Hazardous Materials and
Rescue calls, while seemingly low in comparison, are high risk calls to the public
and potentially the firefighters. They still occur in numbers that are significant on
their own. For example, RFPS responds to an average of one hazardous materials
call per week and two rescue calls per week. These are the high risk/low
frequency calls that the Fire Department must ensure they are prepared for with
training, equipment, and resources.

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 FIGURE #10: 2019 Call Types

Call Types 2019

Non Emergent Fires, 717, 14%
Other, 839, 16%

Rescue, 114, 2%

Non Emergent CO
Alarm Calls, 137, 3%

EMS, 1309, 25%

Fire Alarm
Activations, 1911,
Out of City, 106, 2% 37%

HazMat, 55, 1%

Fires Rescue
Non Emergent CO Alarm Calls Fire Alarm Activations
HazMat Out of City

The following table identifies the City of Regina 90th Percentile Times for all calls in
comparison to the NFPA Standards.

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 TABLE #6: 90th Percentile Times

90th Percentile Times

Alarm Turnout Travel Response
Processing
NFPA Standard 1:04 1:20 4:00 6:24
2016 1:33 2:35 7:04 10:23
2017 1:32 2:33 6:53 9:56
2018 1:33 2:25 6:47 10:08
2019 1:32 2:24 7:12 10:35

The NFPA Standards are the goals the high-performance fire services target.
Throughout this document there are a number of items discussed that can assist
the City in reducing the 90th percentile times. These have included items such as
mapping displays at the stations that would assist in reducing turnout times,
additional stations strategically placed across the City, along with traffic light pre-
emption which would reduce travel time, etc.

RFPS is an Accredited Agency through the CFAI. As such, the Department is

required to track its response data based on the following criteria:

• Moderate-High & Special Risk Structure Fires

• Moderate Risk Emergency Medical Services
• Moderate Risk Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) response
• High & Special Risk Hazmat
• Moderate & Special Risk Vehicle Rescue
• Moderate & Special Risk Technical Rescue [2] Services

The response numbers shown in TABLE #7 are for emergency responses. As

such, they do not represent the total number of calls that RFPS responds to
throughout the year. In the following figure, ERF stands for Effective Response
Force.

These stats demonstrate that for critical calls, the fire service has a much better
compliance to the NFPA standards.

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 TABLE #7: Response Data

Moderate, High & Special Risk Target

2015-
Structure Fires - 90th Percentile 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 (Agency
2019
Times - Baseline Performance Benchmark)
Alarm
Pick-up to Dispatch
Handling 0:01:15 0:01:12 0:01:11 0:01:13 0:01:07 0:01:28 0:01:20
Turnout Turnout Time
Time 1st Unit 0:02:09 0:02:05 0:02:04 0:02:11 0:02:16 0:02:09 0:02:00

Travel Time 1st Unit

Distribution
Travel 0:04:04 0:04:09 0:03:48 0:04:02 0:04:33 0:04:14 0:04:10
Time
Travel Time
ERF
Concentration 0:06:52 0:07:01 0:06:31 0:07:04 0:06:45 0:06:50 0:07:00
Total Response
Time 1st Unit on 0:06:40 0:06:39 0:06:19 0:06:41 0:06:52 0:06:40 0:06:50
Scene
Total 1164 260 229 227 222 226
Distribution
Response
Time Total Response
0:09:38 0:09:47 0:09:01 0:09:50 0:09:33 0:09:41 0:09:40
Time ERF
Concentration 618 126 119 126 122 125

Moderate Risk Emergency

Target
Medical Services - 90th 2015-
2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 (Agency
Percentile Times - Baseline 2019
Benchmark)
Performance
Alarm
Pick-up to Dispatch
Handling 0:00:44 0:00:43 0:00:42 0:00:46 0:00:50 0:00:43 0:00:45
Turnout Turnout Time
Time 1st Unit 0:02:00 0:02:02 0:02:00 0:02:04 0:02:03 0:01:51 0:02:00

Travel Time 1st Unit

Distribution
Travel 0:04:08 0:04:06 0:04:04 0:04:12 0:04:08 0:04:10 0:04:10
Time
Travel Time
ERF
Concentration N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Total Response 0:06:16 0:06:10 0:06:15 0:06:14 0:06:25 0:06:09 0:06:15
Time 1st Unit on
Scene 5471 1132 1100 1019 1044 1176
Total Distribution
Response
Time Total Response N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Time ERF
Concentration 4902 1008 1001 919 968 1006

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 Moderate Risk Hazmat - 90th Target
2015-
Percentile Times - Baseline 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 (Agency
2019
Performance Benchmark)
Alarm
Pick-up to Dispatch
Handling 0:02:09 0:02:22 0:02:07 0:01:44 0:01:55 0:02:23 0:02:00
Turnout Turnout Time
Time 1st Unit 0:02:21 0:02:15 0:02:03 0:02:49 0:02:19 0:02:10 0:02:20

Travel Time 1st Unit

Distribution
Travel 0:06:25 0:05:19 0:08:03 0:07:13 0:04:38 0:08:05 0:06:00
Time
Travel Time
ERF
Concentration 0:10:44 0:10:43 0:10:39 0:09:07 0:11:47 0:12:57 0:11:00
Total Response 0:09:45 0:08:18 0:11:19 0:11:03 0:08:13 0:10:49 0:08:30
Time 1st Unit on
Scene 127 27 24 26 21 29
Total Distribution
Response
Time Total Response 0:14:52 0:13:54 0:15:09 0:11:46 0:15:44 0:16:26 0:15:00
Time ERF
Concentration 113 25 20 23 19 26

High & Special Risk Hazmat - Target

2015-
90th Percentile Times - 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 (Agency
2019
Baseline Performance Benchmark)
Alarm
Pick-up to Dispatch
Handling 0:01:35 0:01:30 0:01:18 0:01:26 0:01:25 0:02:41 0:02:00
Turnout Turnout Time
Time 1st Unit 0:02:23 0:02:18 0:02:09 0:02:50 0:02:16 0:02:22 0:02:20

Travel Time 1st Unit

Distribution
Travel 0:05:29 0:05:02 0:05:30 0:05:52 0:04:15 0:04:56 0:06:00
Time
Travel Time
ERF
Concentration 0:10:54 0:09:51 0:09:57 0:11:42 0:10:47 0:11:08 0:11:00
Total Response 0:08:15 0:07:44 0:08:14 0:08:33 0:07:00 0:08:38 0:08:30
Time 1st Unit on
Scene 110 20 28 24 22 16
Total Distribution
Response
Time Total Response 0:14:15 0:13:08 0:13:26 0:15:50 0:13:50 0:14:43 0:15:00
Time ERF
Concentration 81 15 24 17 14 11

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 Moderate & Special Risk
Target
Vehicle Rescue - 90th 2015-
2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 (Agency
Percentile Times - Baseline 2019
Benchmark)
Performance
Alarm
Pick-up to Dispatch
Handling 0:01:08 0:01:06 0:01:05 0:01:08 0:01:08 0:01:11 0:01:10
Turnout Turnout Time
Time 1st Unit 0:02:03 0:02:01 0:02:03 0:02:06 0:02:03 0:01:54 0:02:00

Travel Time 1st Unit

Distribution
Travel 0:04:14 0:04:23 0:04:13 0:04:31 0:04:09 0:03:57 0:04:10
Time
Travel Time
ERF
Concentration 0:04:45 0:04:45 0:04:54 0:04:58 0:04:31 0:04:47 0:05:00
Total Response 0:06:39 0:06:42 0:06:39 0:07:06 0:06:31 0:06:22 0:06:50
Time 1st Unit on
Scene 491 92 104 75 145 75
Total Distribution
Response
Time Total Response 0:07:27 0:07:20 0:07:42 0:07:32 0:07:25 0:07:13 0:07:30
Time ERF
Concentration 359 67 74 55 109 54

Moderate & Special Risk

Target
Technical Services - 90th 2015-
2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 (Agency
Percentile Times - Baseline 2019
Benchmark)
Performance
Alarm
Pick-up to Dispatch
Handling 0:03:09 0:02:59 0:02:43 0:01:45 0:03:14 0:02:13 0:02:20
Turnout Turnout Time
Time 1st Unit 0:02:56 0:02:08 0:01:43 0:02:15 0:03:35 0:03:06 0:02:20

Travel Time 1st Unit

Distribution
Travel 0:04:06 0:03:31 0:03:35 0:05:20 0:08:19 0:03:35 0:05:00
Time
Travel Time
ERF
Concentration 0:08:42 0:09:00 0:06:13 0:09:07 0:10:43 0:07:44 0:09:00
Total Response 0:09:20 0:07:23 0:06:50 0:09:22 0:14:30 0:07:26 0:09:00
Time 1st Unit on
Scene 31 6 5 5 8 7
Total Distribution
Response
Time Total Response 0:12:08 0:12:21 0:09:17 0:12:12 0:13:45 0:09:19 0:12:00
Time ERF
Concentration 19 4 3 4 7 1

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 During the review of the response data no anomalies were noted in the data,
which demonstrates a good level of quality assurance in relation to the accuracy of
the response numbers that RFPS collects and retains. As can be seen in the two
years of response data, RFPS is doing a good job at meeting the NFPA and
department accreditation benchmark response times. As such, the Department
should be commended for this excellent effort.

4.2.1 Future Call Volume Expectations

RFPS has a call volume of approximately 5,000 annual emergency calls for the
past several years. This equates to approximately 19.5 calls per 1,000 population.
The population development has planned for an additional 50,000 people in the
works and a potential to grow by 100,000 by the year 2038*. In addition, the City
continues to add Employment Areas.

RFPS could theoretically see an increase of 1,000 calls with the current
development plan that is underway and an increase of more than 2,400 calls
annually by 2038, which would equate to approximately 8,400 calls per year. 29

Note: if there is a change in the tiered response protocol for medical responses,
calls could increase dramatically. Medical calls make up 50-60% of the calls in
many urban fire departments (e.g. London, Ajax). It is very possible that there
could be an additional 3,000 medical calls if the protocols are changed, dependent
on the changes made.

4.3 Traffic Light Pre-emption

There is a significant portion of the Master Fire Plan dedicated to getting
firefighters to the scene of a call as quickly as possible. This includes discussion
on 90th percentiles, station locations, and the time to assemble an effective
firefighting force. Response time is also critical in medical emergencies such as
cardiac arrests where survivability declines rapidly after 4 minutes, and in other
emergencies such as anaphylaxis and severe bleeding, where minutes make the
difference in survivability. One of the factors of travel time to emergencies in traffic
congestion.

Responding to emergency calls also poses a high risk for collision when apparatus
are traveling through red lights.

29 Design Regina Official Community Plan

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 Traffic light pre-emption, where the traffic lights change to provide the responding
fire trucks the green light and priority in intersections, has been found to be an
effective tool in reducing response time and collisions.

It has been demonstrated in various studies that traffic light pre-emption in urban
areas can reduce response time by as much as 20% (1 minute and 12 seconds in
a 6-minute response) by reducing the number of times a fire truck has to slow,
stop, and then accelerate at an intersection. It also reduces travelling on the wrong
side of the centre line or median and those situations where other drivers do not
see the emergency vehicle or hear the sirens when traversing an intersection
against a red light.

Challenges with pre-emption systems are that during heavy traffic times it can take
several minutes for traffic to resume its natural flow and has a ripple effect to
intersections radiating out in all directions.

As technology advances, so do the types and capabilities of traffic pre-emption

systems. The primary types include acoustic, optical, route-based, and GPS
systems. High-level advantages and disadvantages of the three primary systems
are listed in Appendix H

It is recommended that the City of Regina undertake an RFI (Request for

Information) from traffic pre-emption providers to assess the potential benefits
based on the road network and traffic patterns of the city, types of systems that
may be appropriate, options available, and estimated costs.

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SECTION 5: Facilities, Vehicles, and Equipment
5.1 Fire Station Review
Fire stations should be positioned to offer the most efficient and effective response
to the community they serve. Centering them within a determined response zone
that is simply based on “timed” responses is not always the best option to
implement. Fire station location depends on many factors such as key risks within
the response zone, future growth of the community, and the response team
composition. Another consideration is the geographical layout of the community
that can include natural barriers or divides (such as water, railway tracks) that may
make it necessary to have some stations located within proximity of each other.

Fire stations should be situated to achieve the most effective and safe emergency
responses. Distance and travel time may be a primary consideration; however, if a
basic expectation of response time is set by the community’s decision makers, a
more realistic level of service and fire station location criteria can be identified.

In the following maps, the shaded area around the fire station denotes a response
time zone:
• The response time zone in the following map is for four-minute drive time.
This is the NFPA recommended drive time for career fire departments.
The response mapping and related response data supplied in this document
should not be taken in isolation. A full in-depth study along with an annual report
submitted to Council by the Fire Chief with an update on the key performance
measures and expectations is required.

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 FIGURE #11: Drive Time Coverage of 4-Minutes from Each Fire Station

This map illustrates that Regina is well covered in the major populated areas
based on response time criteria. There are, however, some less densely populated
sections of the City that are outside of the 4-minute drive time. These are located
to the west and eastern portions of the City. With the anticipated growth
projections, the need for future fire station and/or joint partnerships may be a
reality. More discussion on this topic will be found later in the document.
There are seven fire stations located throughout the City. A review of the existing
facilities was conducted by Emergency Management & Training Inc. and will be
addressed in this section. This walkthrough consisted of a visual inspection; no
destructive testing or engineering assessment was conducted.

• #1 Station - William White (1986): Staffing equipment consists of 2

Captains, 6 firefighters, 2 Engine Companies, and water rescue.

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 • #2 Station - William Moffat (2001): Staffing and equipment consists of 1
Captain, 3 firefighters, 1-Engine Company, Assistant Chief Command
Unit, Wildland Unit, Operational Support Unit and command bus.
• #3 Station - Tom Yarnton (1991): Staffing and equipment consists of 2
Captains, 6 firefighters, 1-Engine Company, 1-Quint Company, Wildland
Unit, decon trailer.
• #4 Station - Percy Wilson (2010): Staffing and equipment consists of 2
Captains, 6 firefighters and 2 Engine Companies.
• #5 Station - Harold Button (2001): Staffing and equipment consists of 1
Captain, 3 firefighters, 1-Engine Company, air supply trailer, trench
trailer, tech rescue, service truck.
• #6 Station - Omar Dixon (1979): Staffing and equipment consists of 2
Captains, 6 firefighters, 1-Engine Company, 1-Quint Company, Hazmat
Rescue.
• #7 Station - Louis Yanko (1984): Staffing and equipment consists of 2
Captains, 6 firefighters, 1-Engine Company, 1-Quint Company and water
tanker.
In 2018 RFPS Fire Headquarters and the Education and Training Centre
underwent renovations to make a more modern and efficient workplace.

Stations 2 and 5 are of the same design and stations 6 and 3 are of the same
design; a substantial budgetary saving can occur when a station design is used
more than once. When utilizing the plans from another station, benefits can occur
as staff can provide feedback where minor design changes can improve overall
station efficiencies. The drawback of utilizing another station design as the focus
may be on saving taxpayer dollars and building a station that does not fit the need
of the department for the geographic location it is to serve. Overall, the fire stations
are well equipped with a few showing their age in terms of station design (dorms),
lack of storage space, and sufficient exercise facilities.

5.1.1 Fire Headquarters

Fire headquarters is located at 1205 Ross Avenue. It was built in 1979 with
renovations completed in 2017, a new roof in 2009, and a refreshment of the
interior in 2003. This facility is home to RFPS Administration, Fire Prevention &
Public Education, Training and Communications.

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 This building appears to be in good condition, but it is at capacity and will not allow
for any future staffing expansion. As such, future consideration should be given to
an addition to this facility if more staff are hired.

Costing for an expansion would depend on the area being expanded and what
type of specialized equipment, if any, is required within that expansion.

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 5.1.2 Fire Station #1
Fire Station #1 is located 2585 13th Avenue and was built in 1986.

Although this station is 36 years old, it appears that upgrades have been made
over the years.

The general lifespan of a fire station is approximately 50 years, unless major

upgrades and renovations have been completed on the facility. .

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 5.1.3 Fire Station #2
Fire Station #2 is located a 1700 9th Avenue North and was built in 2001.

This station is 19-years old and was found to be in good condition with no
recommendations for operational improvement at this time.

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 5.1.4 Fire Station #3
Fire Station #3 is located at 2640 31st Avenue and was built in 1991.

This station is 29 years old and was found to be in good condition with no
recommendations for improvement at this time but it is ancitipated that regular
building maintenance will be required in the future.

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 5.1.5 Fire Station #4
Fire Station #4 is lcoated at 3855 Dewdney Avenue and was built in 2010.

This station was found to be in good condition.

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 5.1.6 Fire Station #5
Fire Station #5 is located at 2700 Arens Road and was built in 2001.

This station was found to be in good condition.

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 5.1.7 Fire Station #6
Fire Station #6 is located at 303 Rink Avenue and was built in 1979.

In 2019, the backup generator for Station 6 was replaced as part of the continuous
evaluation and maintenance of the fire stations.

Even though this facility was found to be in good condition, there is evidence that
space is at a premium both on the apparatus floor and also with office space. This
facility is 41 years of age and is coming close to the end of the 50 year lifecycle. As
such, consideration should be given to either start planning for the building of a new
fire station within the next 20 years, or plans for upgrades to allow this facility to
meet the future needs of RFPS.

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 5.1.8 Fire Station #7
Fire Station #7 is located at 132 Victoria Avenue and was built in 1984.

Although this station is 36 years old, it appears to be in relatively good condition.

Regular (and continued) maintaince of this station will ensure it reaches its full
service cycle. A turnout room to store bunker gear should be investigated as part
of the cancer prevention program.

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 5.1.9 Turnout Gear
There continues to be growing evidence of firefighters being exposed to cancer-
causing agents. In 2014 the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) published research that stated firefighters have a 14% increase of cancer
related deaths as compared to the general population. In Saskatchewan, 15 types
of cancers for career and volunteer firefighters are considered presumptive and
firefighters are presumed to have the cancer as a result of their firefighting
activities.

Currently RFPS is striving for a second set of turnout gear assigned to all
firefighters. Turnout gear has a 10-year life expectancy, but this is seldom
achieved in a fire department with a high call volume such as RFPS. The
replacement schedule for turnout gear in RFPS is 5-years and once a firefighter is
issued a new set of turnout gear, their original set becomes their spare set.

Up until a firefighter is issued a second set of turnout gear, they utilize spare gear
when their turnout gear is being washed in one of the three fire stations equipped
with a commercial washing machine designed specifically for firefighter turnout
gear.

Currently when a member needs to have their turnout gear undergo an advanced
cleaning, it is taken out of service and either washed at the fire station (if equipped
with a commercial washing machine) or transferred to another station by the
service truck. The firefighter will then find a spare set of gear to use until their
turnout gear is cleaned and placed back into service. There are concerns that a
member may not find a spare set of turnout gear that fits properly.

RFPS is to be commended for striving for the issuance of a second set of turnout
gear for all firefighters, but there is a concern over the length of time until all
members will have their second set of turnout gear.

5.1.10 Small Equipment

Small equipment includes the thermal imaging cameras (TICs), extrication tools,
AEDs, positive pressure fans, generators, and self-contained breathing apparatus.

RFPS utilizes a 15-year life cycle for self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
cylinders and has TICs on every frontline Engine. As technology changes, a
review is made to determine the need of replacement and a cost analysis is
conducted. There are various models of TICs on the market and they are now
being integrated into the SCBA facepiece or through a control module that
combines a TIC and cylinder pressure gauge. The TIC has been a great

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 advancement for the fire service in terms of rescue, suppression, overhaul,
reduction of rekindles, and self-rescue.

Extrication tools have a 15-year replacement schedule and in recent years RFPS
has included new extrication tools with new Engine acquisitions. This creates an
economical method of replacing extrication equipment as fire truck manufactures
have the buying power to get better costing on equipment.

Small equipment appears to be well maintained and fits the needs of the
department. As technology advances, battery-operated rescue tools and positive
pressure fans have becoming lighter with the same or greater performance.
Advances in firefighting technology should evaluated for future purchases as it can
improve service life and reduce costs

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 5.1.11 Public Safe Haven
A recommendation for consideration of each existing station is the implementation
of the “Safe Haven” concept that has been built into many fire stations at other
departments. These programs have a vestibule or lobby that someone fleeing a
dangerous situation (e.g. domestic violence) can access and secure themselves
in. This type of safe haven program not only makes each fire station more a part of
the community, it also offers a place of safety for those in need of assistance.

The cost of implementation could range from $2,000 to $5,000 per installation. The
range comes from an option to install a phone box or panic button in the vestibule
or lobby that is connected directly to the Fire Communications office and can lock
the vestibule door until help arrives.

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 5.2 Training Facility
RFPS has a training centre located at the Headquarters property at 1205 Ross
Avenue. The facility was built in 1964 with renovations done in 2005 after a fire
occurred in the garage. The training facilities are well equipped to provide training
on a wide range of evolutions.

The training facility is located at the Education and Training Centre (ETC) and, as
identified in the Accreditation (2017) document, 30 it is approximately 15,000m2 in
size, with two classrooms, one 37m2 and the other 100m2 in size. The 100m2
classroom can be divided by a folding partition wall into two 50m2 classrooms. The
classrooms are equipped with connection to computers and television, projectors,
and other new technology.

The exterior facilities include a tanker trailer for dangerous goods training, vehicle
extrication, and a 75-square meter, 18-meter-high tower for rope rescue and high-
rise training. A residential single-storey structure is also located at the ETC training
grounds and is utilized for search and rescue, ventilation, and fire investigation
training.

30Accreditation Report, July 5, 2017 prepared by the Commission on Fire Accreditation

International for the Regina Fire and Protective Services

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 Having a local training facility offers the ability to train and practice on a wide
range of training programs and keeps the fire service resources in the community
it serves.

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 5.3 Mechanical/Maintenance Division – Apparatus and Equipment
The Mechanical/Maintenance Division is located at the Education and Training
Centre and is equipped with their own set of bays, office area, and parts section.

RFPS has 2 full-time mechanics with one specifically trained as an Emergency

Vehicle Technician (EVT) and the second will soon be certified as an EVT. These
qualifications permit them to conduct maintenance and repairs on the chassis,
pump, and aerial devices.

This Division conducts the servicing and maintenance tasks on all fire service
mobile, portable, and stationary equipment. The Division is also responsible for the
Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Z94 Respiratory Protection Program and
mandatory program administrator roles. The Division takes care of stationary
equipment that includes stand-by generators, breathing air compressors, fill
stations, and portable equipment such as smaller pumps, chainsaws, Jaws of Life,
lawn mowers, snow blowers, outboard motors, and boats.

In addition to the duties on fire apparatus, RFPS is striving to have both

mechanics complete the Certified Airmask Repair Education (C.A.R.E.) training in
order to provide redundancy for the maintenance personnel who conduct repairs
and maintenance of the SCBA in-house.

The facility was found to be in good condition. Interviews with staff confirmed that
the present facility is meeting the general needs of the Division.

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 5.3.1 Fleet and Equipment
The Regina Fire & Protective Services has 7 fire stations located throughout the
city. There are 9 frontline Engines, 3 frontline aerials, and 4 reserve Engines plus
one reserve aerial. Overall, RFPS has a well-maintained fleet. The oldest frontline
Engine, unit 117, is 15 years old and is scheduled for secondary status as a
reserve Engine in 2020.

When assessing a Fire Department’s apparatus, the FUS considers the age of the
truck as one of its guidelines. RFPS follows the FUS guidelines of replacing
frontline Engines and moving them into a secondary response unit after 15 years of
service. Regina’s category for the FUS recommendations has been highlighted in
blue font and shading.

Medium Sized Cities 4 or

Small Communities 5
Apparatus Age Major Cities 3 Communities Where
and Rural Centres
Risk is Significant
0 – 15 Years First Line First Line First Line
16 – 20 Years Reserve Second Line First Line
20 – 25 Years 1 No Credit in Grading No Credit in Grading No Credit in Grading
or Reserve 2 or Reserve 2
26 – 29 Years 1 No Credit in Grading No Credit in Grading No Credit in Grading
or Reserve 2 or Reserve 2
30 Years 1 No Credit in Grading No Credit in Grading No Credit in Grading

1. All listed fire apparatus 20 years of age and older are required to be service tested
by a recognized testing agency on an annual basis to be eligible for grading
recognition (NFPA 1071)
2. Exceptions to age status may be considered in small to medium sized communities
and rural centre conditionally, when apparatus condition is acceptable, and
apparatus successfully passes required testing
3. Major cities are defined as an incorporated or unincorporated community that has:
a. a populated area (or multiple areas) with a density of at least 400 people per
square kilometre; AND
b. a total population of 100,000 or greater.
4. Medium Communities are defined as an incorporated or unincorporated community
that has:
a. a populated area (or multiple areas) with a density of at least 200 people per
square kilometre; AND
b. a total population of 1,000 or greater.
5. Small Communities are defined as an incorporated or unincorporated community
that has:

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 144

 a. no populated areas with densities that exceed 200 people per square
kilometre; AND
b. does not have a total population in excess of 1,000.
The replacement of frontline fire apparatus is not legislated, but best practice
dictates that after a maximum of 15-years as a frontline responding apparatus in a
major city, there is enough wear and tear on the chassis and drivetrain to justify
moving it to a secondary response unit or selling. Light duty vehicles such as
Rapid Intervention and Administration Vehicles typically have a 7 to 10-year life
span. The Canada Revenue Agency uses a 7-year depreciation on these types of
vehicles. Many fire departments will pass these vehicles on to other city
departments with less critical uses after that time.

A review of the Fire Fleet Capital Budget Forecast was conducted and RFPS
demonstrates due diligence in replacing fire apparatus, however some
miscalculations were noticed in the forecast document and it is suspected that
these have occurred as a result of RFPS merge into a new asset management
module. It is evident that Pumpers 123 & 124 should not be replaced in 2025 and
this error will have to be corrected once the M5 asset management module is
implemented. The following charts record the existing replacement schedule.

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 FIGURE #12: Existing Replacement Schedule

Dollar values shown in thousands of dollars based on today’s cost.

Service
Apparatus 2021 2023 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035
Life
Pumper 115 (2004)
Spartan 18 1100
Pumper 116 (2004)
Spartan 19 1100
Pumper 117 (2006) E-
One 19 1100
Pumper 118 (2006) E-
One 20 1100
Pumper 119 (2011)
Spartan 16 1100
Ladder 207. (2011)
Spartan 17 1275
Pumper 120 (2011)
Spartan 18 1100
Ladder 208 (2011)
Spartan 19 1275
Pumper 121 (2011)
Spartan 20 1100
Ladder 209. (2011)
Spartan 21 1275
Pumper 122 (2011)
Spartan 22 1100

Haz Mat (2013)

Rosenbauer 20 675
Pumper 307 (2014)
Rosenbauer 20 850
Raptor
2014 Rosenbauer 21 1600
Total 1100 1100 1100 1100 1100 1275 1100 1275 1100 1275 1775 850 1600

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 The FUS fire rating considers the year of frontline apparatus and recommends that
frontline apparatus be replaced and moved into a secondary response role after
15 years and this in turn reflects positively on the commercial and residential
insurance rates.

EMT recommends that the apparatus replacement schedule be reviewed, and

frontline apparatus be scheduled for replacement after 15 years.

RFPS mechanics follow the NFPA 1911, Standard for the Inspection, Maintenance,
Testing and Retirement of In-Service Automotive Fire Apparatus. This standard
also identifies a 15-year replacement cycle on frontline fire apparatus and is based
upon criteria identified in the standard. In some cases, a heavily utilized Engine
may have enough wear and tear on it to support its replacement before the 15-
year time frame.

RFPS has a solid apparatus replacement program where they will strive to replace
apparatus to meet the FUS guidelines.

In the capital budget it is a challenge to clearly identify the replacement cost of an

apparatus in 15 years’ time. As a general practice when replacing fire apparatus, it
is noted that on average fire apparatus such as engines and aerials will increase in
cost anywhere from 5-10% annually. To put this into perspective, an engine that
was purchased in 2005 at a cost of $500,000 would be expected to cost around
$875,000 in 2020 with a 5% annual cost increase. An engine purchased in 2020 at
$875,000 can be expected to cost $1.53 million in 2035.

The apparatus replacement plan reviewed had placeholder numbers of $1.1

million for an engine, $1.275 million for a quint and $1.6 million for an aerial
replacement. These numbers are realistic based on 2020/2021 values, however,
should have an annual adjustment based upon the 5-10 percent annual cost
increase of fire apparatus for the 25-year capital plan.

5.4 Future Technology

5.4.1 Personal Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC)

RFPS has TICs on every frontline pumper. As technology changes a review is
made to determine the need of replacement versus a department want and a cost
analysis is conducted. There are various models of TICs on the market and they
are now being integrated into the SCBA facepiece. The TIC has been a great
advancement for the fire service in terms of rescue, suppression, overhaul,
reduction of rekindles and self-rescue. Manufacturers are now providing variations

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 of TICs incorporated into the SCBA facepiece or through a control module that
combines a TIC and cylinder pressure gauge.

All TICs are not the same and gone are the days where a one style TIC will fit the
needs of the fire department. A situational awareness TIC is used by the firefighter
to locate the fire, find an egress and to prevent disorientation. A decision-making
TIC typically has a higher resolution and is used to assist with tactical decision
making, determination of exact temperature readings, hose steam placement and
search and rescue.

In 2019 the Los Angeles Fire Department moved in the direction of issuing
situational awareness TICs to every firefighter to not only improve search and
rescue but firefighter self-rescue as well. The issuing of a personal situational
awareness TIC for every firefighter will increase the speed and safety of firefighter
search and rescue operations and improve firefighter self-rescue if a firefighter
becomes lost or disorientated.

Statements from NFPA 1408, Standard for Training Fire Service Personnel in the
Operation, Care, Use, and Maintenance of Thermal Imagers, Sections 4.1 and 4.2,
the consensus standard on training for thermal imaging use, follow:

• A thermal imaging training program shall be implemented.

• Risks to participants during training shall be kept to a minimum.
• The authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) shall establish written policies for
TIC training that meet the requirements of this standard.
• The policy shall address the training requirements for types of incidents
where TICs may be used.
• The training policy shall include an annual review of member competence in
TIC technology, operation, application, use and limitations, care, and
maintenance.
• TIC training shall include practical evolutions using TICs.
• The training program shall include both individual and crew training.
• Members shall be provided with TIC training and education before being
permitted to operate TICs per the AHJ.
• Before new or unfamiliar TICs are placed into service, training and
education relating to those imagers shall be provided for all affected
members.
• Members shall be provided with classroom education and hands-on
familiarization in TIC functions before being permitted to operate TICs in
IDLH atmospheres.

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 To enhance firefighter safety, the RFPS should have personal situational TICs
available for all frontline apparatus. A minimum of 3 per apparatus is required plus
a spare for each station will require the acquisition of 43 personal TICs within the
next 5 years.

It is recommended that RFPS implement a formal TIC training program and

implement policies and procedures for the use of TICs.

5.4.2 Drone Technology

In 2019 the NFPA released NFPA 2400 The Standard for Small Unmanned Aircraft
Systems (sUAS) Used for Public Safety Operations. The standard identifies the
minimum requires for the use of drones in the fire service.
For emergency incidents drones are able to cover a lot of ground and have proven
beneficial for hazardous materials incidents (recent train derailment by Humboldt),
search and rescue operations near large bodies of water, wildland fires, motor
vehicle accidents and situational awareness/hot spot identification at structure
fires. A benefit of drone technology is the potential to save time and money as
extra personnel may not be needed to conduct scene assessments for hazardous
material incidents as the drone can be quickly deployed and the Incident
Commander gets not only a live view of the incident, but a view where potential
hazards can be quickly identified and thereby preventing firefighter injuries.
For non-emergency incidents drones are being used for preplanning with aerial
photos, identification of the best location for apparatus staffing for emergencies
and preplanning, assessment of potential hazards such as spring thaw or freeze
up of a large body of water. For post recovery operations the drone technology can
play a vital part if surveying damage after a disaster. The use of drone thermal
technology can also be used to locate victims during nighttime operations.
The New York Fire Department utilizes drone technology for second alarm fires or
other critical incidents provide the Incident Commander (IC) vital information that
the IC cannot see such as fire travel or structural integrity issues.
In 2016 the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) began its drone technology
by creating an internal committee to identify the drone needs and overall direction
of the technology. “The reception has been overwhelmingly positive, and the
program has already demonstrated its value on many occasions.”31

31 Wilkinson, S (2019) UAV’s In The Fire Service, Firefighting in Canada, https://www.firefightingincanada.com/uavs-in-the-

fire-service-27011/

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 149

 As of May 2019, the WFPS has 18 pilots trained in advanced operations in day
and night flight as well as a cadre of visual observers to assist the pilots as well as
obtaining flight permissions with NAV Canada to fly in controlled airspace.” This
ensures our minimum manning staffing of one pilot and one visual observer on our
rescue apparatus that responds with the UAV.” 32

The WFPS has successfully utilized the UAV at major fires and in one incident the
IC and apparatus staging were more than 800 metres away with no direct view of
the incident and the UAV provided real time video to guide risk assessments,
planning and tactical deployment as well as stream placement.

Drone pilots must follow the Canadian

Aviation Regulations (CARS) Part IX-
Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems that
contain the rules for drones up to 25
kilograms. Advanced operations include
flying in a controlled airspace, flying
over bystanders, or flying within 30
meters of bystanders.

There are numerous features available

by drone manufactures and at the
minimum, a drone for RFPS should
have 256 encryption to keep data
secure, obstacle avoidance system to
detect and avoid obstacles while hovering, Photo: Firefighting in Canada, UAVs in the fire
anti-collision beacon for lowlight and night service, April 11, 2019
conditions and thermal imaging
technology.

RFPS can benefit from drone technology in suppression, rescue, preplanning, and
special events planning. As such, it is recommended that RFPS implement a
Drone program to enhance firefighter safety and be utilized for emergency
operations, preplanning, and emergency management planning.

32 Wilkinson, S (2019) UAV’s In The Fire Service, Firefighting in Canada,

https://www.firefightingincanada.com/uavs-in-the-fire-service-27011/

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 150

SECTION 6: Risk Assessment and Emergency
Management
The first and most effective way to reduce injuries, death, and property damage
due to fire is through public education, inspections, and enforcement. The Fire
Prevention Program addresses these key components of fire safety which starts
with conducting a community risk assessment.

6.1 Community Risk Assessment – Current and Future Needs

When conducting a community risk assessment, it is important to remember that it
is Council that approves the level of service within the community. It is therefore
the Fire Chief’s responsibility to inform Council on the risks that exist within the
community, along with the related needs and circumstances. Based on the
information received from the Fire Chief, Council can make an educated decision
regarding recommended improvements and/ or adjustments.

The NFPA 1201 – Standard for Providing Fire and Emergency Services to the
Public, section 4.3.1 states, “The Fire & Emergency Service Organization shall
carry out a program to develop public awareness and cooperation in management
of risk, based on analysis of relevant loss records and potential hazards in the
identifiable physical and social sectors of the community.”

Section 4.3.5 notes that the Fire and Emergency Services Organization shall
provide customer service-oriented programs and procedures to accomplish the
following:
1. Prevent fires, injuries, and deaths from emergencies and disasters
2. Mitigate fires, injuries, deaths, property damage, and environmental
damage from emergencies and disasters
3. Recover from fires, emergencies, and disasters
4. Protect critical infrastructure
5. Sustain economic viability
6. Protect cultural and historical resources
The “needs” of a community can be defined by identifying and cataloging the types
of buildings, infrastructure, and demographics of the local area, which in turn can
be extrapolated into the types of services that would be offered and required. The
“circumstances” are considered the ability to afford the level of service to be
provided. Together, the needs and circumstances assist in identifying a level of
service for the community. This combination meets the expectations of the public
for safety and the affordability of this level provided.

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 Conducting a risk assessment is a practical information gathering and analyzing
exercise. It is intended to create a community fire profile that will aid in identifying
appropriate programs or activities that can be implemented to effectively address
the community's fire safety needs. As the community changes, the document
should not become dormant, as the results are only accurate to the time of which
the review was conducted.

The recently updated Fire Protection and Prevention Act., along with the NFPA
1730 Standard on Organization and Deployment of Fire Prevention Inspection and
Code Enforcement, Plan Review, Investigation, and Public Education Operations
note that a risk assessment review should be conducted at a minimum every five
(5) years or after significant change.

The NFPA 1730 standard also establishes a process to identify and analyze
community fire risks. There are seven (7) components of a Community Risk
Assessment outlined in the NFPA Standard. These components are:
1. Demographics
2. Geographic overview
3. Building stock
4. Fire experience
5. Responses
6. Hazards
7. Economic profile

6.1.1 Current Condition

The City of Regina is comprised of a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial
buildings. As seen in the following map (Figure 13), the City is crisscrossed with
several railways that could at times reduce or restrict the ability of fire trucks to
take the most direct route to an emergency incident.

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 FIGURE #13: Regina CN Railway System

The Fire Chief and his team have been very proactive in identifying all these
concerns and have created response criteria for each type of incident or
hinderance to a timely response. RFPS team should be commended for their
diligent efforts.

RFPS has also created a list of vulnerable occupancies, hazardous materials sites
and other facilities and/or concerns that may impact the efficiency and
effectiveness of their response in cases of emergencies.

In relation to its fire prevention and public education initiatives, RFPS has a Fire
Prevention/Public Education Division that is proactive in identifying present and
future program needs. The Division is aware of the minimum fire prevention
programs required for the community. The minimum acceptable level that a
municipality needs to provide includes the following:
• Smoke Alarm/Carbon Monoxide Program
• Fire Safety Education materials distributed to residents/occupants
• Inspections upon complaint or Request to Assist with code compliance

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 (including any necessary code enforcement)
The Fire Prevention/Public Education Division is doing an admirable job in meeting
and exceeding these requirements and should be applauded for their efforts.

6.1.2 Preparing for Future Needs

Continual assessment of the community and its needs will allow RFPS to be
proactive in its education and enforcement programs for the community and to all
fire service staff. When fires or other emergencies occur within the community, the
firefighters can be better prepared to cope with the emergencies because they are
trained and aware of the unique hazards that are found within the community.
These hazards need to be identified in a Risk Assessment conducted by Regina
and its Fire Service.
TABLE #5: FUS Inspection Frequency Chart

Occupancy Type Benchmark

Assembly (A) 3 to 6 months
Institutional (B) 12 months
Single Family Dwellings (C) 12 months
Multi-Family Dwellings (C) 6 months
Hotel/Motel (C) 6 months
Mobile Homes & Trailers (C) 6 months
Seasonal/Rec. Dwellings (C) 6 months
Commercial (F) 12 months
Industrial (F) 3 to 6 months

The FUS Suggested Inspection Frequency Chart is highly aggressive and being
able to provide inspection frequencies at the noted levels may be difficult to
achieve. As a benchmark, however, the FUS chart provides an optimal set of goals
for RFPS to strive towards. Priority should be given to vulnerable occupancies,
institutional facilities, hotels/motels, multi-family dwellings (including basement
apartments), and assemblies.

Utilizing the Integrated Risk Management approach in conjunction with the

guidance from NFPA 1730 standard will provide an overall picture of the
resources, time, and tools required to keep the fire risks in the community to a
manageable level (as defined by Council).

It is recommended that the Fire Chief direct the Fire Prevention and Public
Education Division to review Regina’s inspection program identifying levels of
desired frequency for inspections noted in the FUS Chart above. The FUS strongly

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 recommends that a level of frequency be identified by the Fire Service in its quest
towards ensuring a fire-safe community. RFPS may not be able to meet the FUS
recommendations at this time, but with the additional inspectors recommended in
the next five years a level of due diligence will occur in ensuring that inspections
are consistently and regularly performed.

A thorough risk assessment can also avoid invalid comparisons between your fire
service and others. A municipality with a similar population may have very different
fire risks, and therefore very different fire protection needs. A thorough risk
assessment will ensure that such comparisons are valid. By providing a valid basis
for comparison, an efficient risk assessment can also provide confidence that
innovations introduced elsewhere can be successfully applied in your municipality.

In relation to staffing (Fire Prevention) hour requirements, an initial assessment

needs to be completed to identify hours presently being spent on inspections
along with identification of the annual goal. By doing this assessment, future hourly
requirements can be consolidated into a report to Council for the additional staffing
recommended in this FMP.

Note: Due to the complexities with fire prevention inspections, along with the
variety of building stock in a community, there is no industry standard formula
for calculating the number of hours based on building stock. This can only be
accomplished through experience, familiarity, and understanding of the
community’s needs.

6.2 Emergency Management Program

Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity
Emergency Management & Training Inc. conducted a review of Regina’s
Emergency Management Program, including existing training for Regina
employees and response planning. As mandated by The Emergency Planning Act,
1989, every local authority shall establish a local emergency measures
organization, appoint a person as a local emergency measures coordinator, and
establish a municipal emergency plan.

As noted in the 2017 Standards of Cover document, the EPBC section;

“…focuses on the coordination and planning for any event, whether man-
made or natural, that has the potential to exceed the normal coping abilities
of the day to day operations of the City of Regina. The EPBC considers
both corporate and public expectations in preparing for all four phases of a
disaster (Prevention/Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery).
The EPBC Section is also the focal point for internal (such as the RPS) and

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 external (such as provincial and federal agencies) groups who by mandate
or choice have a role to play in one of the four phases of a disaster. The
Department employs one manager and one Business Continuity
Coordinator that are assigned to this program.” 33

The Standards of Cover document states, “The Department considers both

comparability to other similar fire departments as well as industry best practices,
requirements, and research when evaluating system performance. The City of
Saskatoon and Regina are comparables and it is noteworthy that the Saskatoon’s
EMO staffs an EMO Director, Emergency Management Administrative Coordinator,
Coordinator of Emergency Management, and Corporate Security Manager,
Security System Technician and Technical Security Specialist and is in the process
of hiring a Business Continuity person and a Regional Resilience Specialist,
whereas Regina has one manager and one business continuity coordinator. There
are no set standards for emergency management staffing but it is evident that
based upon the population of Regina and the critical infrastructure within the City
of Regina that EPBC should increase their staffing level to meet the demands of
emergency management.

Saskatoon EMO has partnered with neighbouring communities and through a

50/50 funding model created the Regional Resilience Specialist position that will
work with the partnering communities to establish a local emergency measures
organization, appoint a person as a local emergency measures coordinator, and
establish a municipal emergency plan. This is a proactive and progressive
approach for smaller communities to get emergency management expertise into
their communities and develop emergency management plans under a single
coordinator. It is projected that the funding model will evolve in the future as more
time and resources will be required to coordinate these activities. RFPS should
investigate the feasibility of having a similar position.

6.2.1 City of Regina Municipal Emergency Response Plan

In the 2017 RFPS Accreditation Report is was identified that the EPBC operates
an all hazards preparedness program and was in the process of refining the
existing emergency response plan. For the RFPS FMP, it is prudent to review the
MERP that was revised and updated in 2019.

The City of Regina MERP was recently updated for the 2019-2024 cycle. This is a
well written and researched document and based upon feedback from the
questionnaires, management, and a review of the MERP, several observations

33 Regina Fire and Protection Services, 2017 Standards of Cover, p.23

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 and recommendations will be provided to facilitate the successful implementation
of emergency planning for the City of Regina.

As noted in the Regina MERP, it is important to invest in a preparedness program

for the following reasons:
• Up to 40% of entities affected by a natural or human-caused disaster never
reopen.
• Ratepayers expect delivery of services on time.
• Insurance is only a partial solution; it does not cover all losses.
• Many disasters – natural or human-caused — may overwhelm the
resources of even the largest public agencies, or they may not be able to
reach every facility in time.
• News travels fast and perceptions often differ from reality. The City must
reach out to ratepayers and other stakeholders quickly to level-set their
understanding and expectations and avoid panic.
A formal declaration of the MERP provides both the authority and the responsibility
to organizations to perform their tasks and allows senior officials to affirm their
support for emergency management. As stated in the MERP, “The City’s
preparedness program must be built on a foundation of management leadership,
commitment and financial support. Without management commitment and
financial support, it will be difficult to build the program, maintain resources and
keep the program up to date (p.80)34”.

The major strengths of the Emergency Response Plan (ERP) include:

• Concept of Operations: The City of Regina MERP provides a good
description and explanation of the roles of personnel in the Emergency
Operation Centre (EOC) including the City Manager, EOC Director, City of
Regina agencies and voluntary organizations (through Emergency Social
Services).
• Corrective Action Process: There is a thorough Post-Incident Analysis
Guide included in the MERP. This process will be the basis for a continual
improvement program in the City.
• Administration, Logistics and Finance: The MERP emphasizes the
requirement for record keeping using the EOC forms. The importance of
tracking expenses for the possibility of Provincial Disaster Assistance

34 City of Regina Master Emergency Response Plan 2019-2024

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 Program (PDAP) is highlighted. The ERP has a strong focus on
documenting for program improvement.
Some areas to consider for future revision of the MERP include:
• Situation Overview: The MERP reflects a strong basis in all-hazards
planning. This is a flexible and adaptable approach to being able to respond
to and recover from hazards. Consideration should be given to conduct a
Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) to identify the hazards
that are most likely to impact the City of Regina. Being proactive and
conducting a HIRA provides more opportunity for the City of Regina to
identify the required resources prior to the response. Upon completion of
the HIRA, a summary of the results should be included in the MERP to
assist with planning.
• Public Information and Warning: The MERP provides a good description
of the responsibilities of the Public Information Officer (PIO) as the
coordination point for all public information, media releases and internal
information for the EOC. The MERP mentions a toll-free public information
service but the number is not identified in the MERP. The number should be
listed in the MERP along with how the public alerting system NotifyNow is
utilized to alert the public with pre-scripted information bulletins.
• Declaration and Approval of Plan: A formal declaration of the MERP
provides the authority and responsibility for organizations to perform their
tasks. A statement should be included that says, “This plan supersedes all
other plans,” and should be at the front of the MERP to indicate support and
approval from senior management.
• Record of Changes: The version history of the MERP is found on page 91
of the document and all the necessary information is included. Each update
or change to the plan should be tracked with the record of changes, date of
change and the name of the person who made the changes/ revisions. As a
public document, there should be consideration on what portions of the plan
are available to the public. The City of Regina should consult with their legal
department to determine what content can and cannot be made available to
the public. For example, does the City of Regina want the personal cell
phone numbers of administration available for the general public or media?

6.2.2 Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (HIRA)

The City of Regina ERP reflects a strong basis in all-hazards planning. All hazards
planning provides a flexible and adaptable approach to being able to respond and
recover from hazards. The City of Regina should also conduct a HIRA to identify

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 the hazards that are most likely to impact the municipality. The results of the HIRA
can then help to:
• Identify relative probability and impact of the hazards
• Identify geographic areas likely to be affected by hazards
• Determine vulnerable critical facilities (e.g., assisted living facilities, schools,
hospitals, critical infrastructure)
• Identify population distribution and locations, including any concentrated
populations of individuals with disabilities, others with access and functional
needs, or individuals with limited English proficiency, as well as
unaccompanied minors and children in daycare and school settings
• Determine dependencies on other jurisdictions for critical resources
• Determine the process used by the jurisdiction to determine its capabilities
and limits to prepare for and respond to the defined hazards (e.g. use the
identified hazard as a basis for an exercise)
• Take actions in advance to minimize an incident’s impacts, including short-
and long-term strategies.
Based on EMT’s review of this program, it is recommended that the City of Regina
conduct a HIRA and review it on an annual basis to ensure that all risks are
identified and addressed.

6.2.3 NotifyNow
The City of Regina implemented the use of NotifyNow as the mass communication
system to alert citizens of immediate and important notifications. The system has
not been adequately used or tested since its implementation and is not clearly
identified in the MERP. This public alert system is a powerful tool and it should be
identified in the MERP how NotifyNow will be utilized.

Based on the review of this program, it is recommended that:

• The public warning system NotifyNow be identified in the MERP as well as
how it can be utilized and initiated.
• Consideration should be given to special needs populations.
• Pre-scripted bulletins save time and are easy to prepare in advance.
• RFPS should immediately educate the public in terms of NotifyNow and
how as a mass communication system it is utilized to alert citizens of
immediate and important notifications.
The MERP is very well written and demonstrates a high level of professionalism
within EPBC. The MERP should be regularly reviewed and updated; a specific
staff position should be responsible for this task. A common challenge with MERP

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 is the names of individuals and roles identified in the plan and the MERP should
be reviewed at least annually for ensure that contact names are accurate, and any
gaps or deficiencies are identified.

6.2.4 Incident Command System

The Incident Command System (ICS) is based upon best practices in Canada and
the United States and is used for both small or large emergency and non-
emergency planned events. The strength of the ICS is in making sure that the safety
of responders and other personnel are a priority and an effective use of resources
or elimination of the duplication of services is achieved.
There are four different types of Incident Command levels identified by ICS
Canada:

• ICS 100: The awareness level training that introduces the participant to
ICS topics and concepts.
• ICS 200: The awareness level training that is designed to help people
function within the ICS. This level of training provides a greater depth
regarding the functional areas and positions in the ICS.
• ICS 300: The level that is directed for supervisory functions and provides
exposure to setting objectives, unified command, planning, demobilization,
and termination of command. This level is focused on developing skills
through practical exercises.
• ICS 400: The level that is directed for supervisory functions and is
orientated to developing skills for complex incidents and the coordination of
multiple incidents.
Currently there is minimum training for the EOC; however, there is no policy that
identifies the minimum ICS level for any member required to work in the EOC.
Although the Manager of Emergency Preparedness is moving towards ICS 300 for
those expected to be in the EOC, a level of ICS 200 can be set as a minimum
level of training for the EOC and should be identified in a policy.

Due to the importance of the functions of EOC, it is recommended that a policy be

implemented that identifies ICS 300 as the standard for staff required to be in the
EOC with ICS 200 being the minimum acceptable level for the EOC.

Regina EPBC currently does not have a member trained to provide ICS 100-400
training to the City of Regina and key stakeholders. This is something that should
be looked into as Saskatoon EMO has several members in Police and Fire that
are trained to deliver ICS training in accordance to ICS Canada. The importance of
having individuals trained to the ICS standard for EOC roles and responsibilities

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 160

 cannot be overemphasized and a business case can be made to have a position
in EPBC solely responsible for ICS training and staff development, including City
Councilors and senior administrators.

Mobile Command Centre

The mobile command centre (MCC) vehicle for the City of Regina is a converted
1952 GMC bus. The function of an MCC is essential during emergencies and non-
emergencies as it serves as a single staging location where agencies can
coordinate and communicate during the incident or event.

The MCC will generally see more use for non-emergency events (pre-planned)
than it will for emergency events. In the City of Regina, the MCC could be used at
large scale events like the Winter Classic, Grey Cup, concerts, and political rallies.

As noted in the City of Regina’s Municipal Emergency Plan, “a pre-planned event

is one that has the potential of creating a life safety issue, an increased burden to
emergency response and City agencies, or generating a negative image for the
City.” 35 Pre-planned events require coordination and communication among first
responders before, during and after the event and the MCC plays a critical role in
this function.

There are several concerns over the age of the existing MCC, however there are
no standards to follow stipulating when to replace or refurbish a mobile command
centre. Having a 1952 GMC bus as an MCC creates problems as parts can be
hard to attain for the chassis, axles, steering, suspension, drivetrain, and body
parts.

Repairing or refurbishing an aged fire truck or mobile command centre vehicle

does not change the age of the vehicle. It should be noted that repairing an older
model like the existing MCC is essentially a short-term temporary measure,
because future repairs can be expected simply due to its age. More importantly to
note is that the MCC was originally a bus that was decommissioned as a transit
bus due to age and mileage.

A modern MCC is generally custom designed for the customer and limitless
options are available. It should be spacious and comfortable to work in as it may
be staffed for hours and even days. Serious consideration for options on a modern
MCC includes slide outs, awnings, emergency power supply and lighting, satellite

35 City of Regina Master Emergency Response Plan 2019-2024, p.6.

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 dish for communications, video cameras for security or monitoring the incident,
washroom, kitchenette, and outside works stations.

It is recommended that the 1952 GMC Mobile Command Centre vehicle be

replaced in the next 12-18 months. A new MCC would have an approximate cost
of $800,000-$1,000,000.

The City of Regina has mutual aid agreements with several surrounding
communities and there is an expectation that the City of Regina will provide the
necessary resources to help during a disaster. A more regional response capacity
is more of the norm today and there may be some opportunities for provincial or
federal funding in the purchase of a new or used MCC. The potential for funding
should be explored by EPBC staff.

Emergency Operations Centre

The EOC is located on 4th Avenue with a backup generator and the secondary
location is at Regina Police Station. The EOC has been utilized on several
occasions but there has been no training exercises or testing conducted at the
secondary site.

Tabletop exercises should be held in the secondary EOC location so staff can get
familiar with quickly setting up the EOC and testing internet and WIFI capabilities.
The set-up of the primary and secondary EOC locations should be quick and
efficient and this can only happen by conducting training sessions.

It was noted during the writing of this FMP that the RPS is planning for the
construction of a new station. It would be prudent for EPBC to have discussions
with RPS on the feasibility of having the primary EOC located in the new police
station.

6.2.5 Emergency Planning Training and Exercises

Emergency planning and ICS are like other skills; if you do not continuous practice
them, you become rusty. Several training options will be identified to assist the
EPBC to plan and exercise in ICS and existing emergency plans.

Discussion-Based - In discussion-based exercises, the primary intent is to have

dialogue regarding the emergency plan, procedures, bylaws, and any policies that
could impact an emergency. The discussion sessions are low key, low pressure
and a great tool for familiarization of plans, procedures, bylaws, and policies. The
secondary intent of discussion-based exercises is to build confidence through
familiarization amongst team players in the application of the plan.

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 Discussion-based training is a great way to orientate new staff or existing staff that
have not had an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the emergency plan or
organizational plans, bylaws, procedures and policies and procedures.

Tabletop Exercise - Low cost, minimal stress, but preparation can require several
weeks to create a scenario that is relevant to the City of Regina. The benefits of a
tabletop exercise are that they can be led by one facilitator depending upon the
complexity of the scenario. Tabletop exercises are great ways to identify some
gaps in plans, policies, and procedures. After completion of the tabletop, it is
critical that an After-Action Report is completed to identify any shortcomings or
deficiencies.

Operations-Based - In operations-based exercises, the primary intent is to

actually deploy the necessary personnel and equipment in a full-scale exercise or
small drill. The disadvantage of operations-based exercises is that they require a
significant amount of time to plan and prepare for as resources will be required,
and they generally include multiple agencies.

Operations-based exercises are excellent in revealing gaps and weaknesses in

training, inter-agency communications, resource allocation and operational
procedures. Different types of operations-based exercises are detailed in Appendix
I.
EPBC continues to be involved with key partners in the planning and preparing for
emergencies. With the declaration of a pandemic by the World Health
Organization (WHO) in March 2020, municipalities across Canada are discovering
how important relationships and partnerships are in the time of a significant
emergency.

Due to the importance of training staff in Incident Command and Emergency

Centre Operations, EMT recommends that an Emergency Preparedness
Specialist be hired that can provide and coordinator Incident Command and
Emergency Operations Centre training along with business continuity planning for
the City of Regina.

Note: A more in-depth Community Risk Assessment support document has been
supplied to RFPS in a stand-alone format. This was done because there is
confidential information in the document.

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SECTION 7: Finance, Budgeting, and Capital Forecast
Plan
The Regina Fire & Protective Services has a set of annual operating and capital
budget/ forecasts that fluctuate based on the staffing, programs, and equipment
that have been identified for replacement.

During the review of the operating and capital budget process, it was found that
Regina Fire & Protective Services is well organized in both areas. This indicates a
strong level of support by Council in relation to assisting the Fire Department in
meeting its service goals.

7.1 Operating Budgets

During the review of the operating budget, it was found that all key account
operating sections are identified and tracked, such as:

Operating Budget Line Items

• Staffing related costs
• Training
• Fire Prevention and related Fire Safety Education
• Vehicle and equipment maintenance
• Station maintenance

7.2 Capital Forecasts

It appears there is a standard year replacement cycle for the fire trucks that is
based on the FUS recommendations for frontline vehicles. This replacement cycle
falls in line with the industry standards of 20 years or more, depending on the
vehicle’s function. As such, Regina and its Fire Department should be commended
for its efforts in endeavoring to adhere to this industry standard.

Capital Budget Line Items:

• Vehicle replacement
• Equipment replacement (for large cost items that are not covered in the
operating budget)
Along with the replacement schedule, FUS recommends that there should be at
least one spare fire truck for up to every eight related units. For example:

• One Engine/Pumper truck for every eight Engines/Pumpers,

• One spare aerial truck for every eight aerials,
• One spare tanker truck for every eight tankers, etc.

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 A reserve unit should always be available, should one of the primary units go out
of service. This still applies if the department has less than eight vehicles.
Although RFPS meets this FUS recommendation, RFPS does not have another
full-time fire department in the area that has the capacity to support Regina during
a large-scale situation. RFPS does maintain reserve vehicles and this becomes
more important as the closest full-time career department is Moose Jaw,
approximately 45 minutes’ drive. As noted earlier, RFPS has fire service
agreements with many municipalities; a good practice would be to have a list of
fire apparatus maintained by those municipalities.

The Fire Chief, working with the Director of Finance, should ensure adequate
reserve funds for apparatus and equipment. It is important to ensure that adequate
annual contributions for apparatus, apparatus repairs, small equipment, and
contributions for future infrastructure (fire stations) are identified. If any shortfalls
are determined, the Fire Chief should establish what effect this will have on
operations and bring forward any recommendations (for funding adjustments), if
necessary.

Noted in the internal surveys, there is concern with RFPS staff using their personal
vehicles for work duties. The Fire Chief should continue to work with the Director
of Finance to have a fleet of vehicles available for staff so personal vehicles do not
have to be used for City business.

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SECTION 8: Recommendations for Future Fire Service
Enhancements
This section has been provided to offer Regina a more focused opportunity to
review options for future fire service protection initiatives for the community. These
options revolve around the building of new fire stations based on the projected
growth of the City.

The City of Regina if forecasting an estimated growth of between 50,000 and

100,000 people over the next 25 years. While it is estimated 10,000 people will be
added to the downtown core through intensification of the core density, much of
the new growth is slated for new subdivisions. Planning documents show
development for an additional 50,000 people with some of the subdivisions already
in the beginning steps. To prepare for this growth, RFPS will need to identify future
fire station locations and staffing needs.

Based on the information received in meetings with City staff, along with the
growth projection map (Figure 2a), EMT has put recommended a four-phase long-
term fire station expansion to assist the Department in meeting the anticipated
growth.

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 FIGURE #2a: Growth Plan

36

36 Design Regina – Official Community Plan

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 8.1 Response Goals
As previously noted, RFPS is an Accredited Agency. As such, it has a set
response time benchmark of being on scene with the first unit in 6-minutes and 10-
seconds. The current 90th percentile for structure fires is 6 minutes 31 seconds.
For the most part, RFPS is meeting this response time goal and should be
recognized and commended for effort.
FIGURE #4b: RFPS Stations – 4- and 6-Minute Drive-Time Zones

As can been seen in the map, between the 4-minute coloured response areas and
the 6-minute (beige) shaded areas, much of the City is covered, however, there
remains some sections of the City that fall outside of these two areas.

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 Considering the response zones and the information supplied by the City relating
to anticipated future growth (Growth Map), EMT is recommending four mid- to
long-term options for the locations of fire stations.

Note: EMT has supplied suggested locations for the fire stations in the following
maps. The actual station locations will, however, depend on the availability of City
owned land and/ or land available for purchase by the City.

8.1.1 Fire Station Expansion - Phase #1 (Station 8)

Due to the existing residential and commercial development and future expected
expansion between the Greens on Gardiner and Bypass adjacent to Highway 33 a
new fire station would be able to more effectively cover that part of the City where
new subdivisions are being added to accommodate an additional 8,500 people.
EMT is proposing two potential locations for Station 8 to provide support services
for the surrounding fire stations that are already in place. As the population grows,
Station #5 will require support in the noted area.

Option A: Chuka Boulevard & Green Apple Drive. Land available to facilitate a fire
station and provides a quick access to Arcola Avenue and addresses response
time gaps from Station 5.

Option B: Primrose Green Drive & Chuka Boulevard. This station location is
appealing as land is available and Chuka Boulevard will be expanded north to
Victoria Avenue, which provides this station a quick response within its district and
an option to drive North on Chuka Boulevard to Victoria Avenue East to assist
Stations 5 and 7.

Staffing Requirements – Phase #1

Based on the addition of a new fire station, the standard staffing increase would be
20 new firefighters for one fire truck.

A new fire truck would be required for the new Station 8.

Timeline

Short-term (1-5 years)

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 169

 FIGURE #14a: Fire Station Expansion - Phase #1 – Addition of Station 8 (Option A – Chuka Boulevard & Green Apple Drive)

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 FIGURE #14b: Fire Station Expansion - Phase #1 – Addition of Station 8 (Option B – Primrose Green Drive & Chuka Boulevard)

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 171

 8.1.2 Fire Station Expansion - Phase #2 (Station 9)
Due to the anticipated development of two new neighbourhoods between 25th
Avenue and the Regina Airport and West of Harbour Landing, EMT is
recommending Station 9 be located in this vicinity to provide coverage as Station 3
cannot meet the standard 4-minute travel time to Harbour Landing or the Airport.

Option A: Campbell Street at the Airport – An option is to explore a partnership

with the Regina Airport Authority to share the airport fire station with Airport
Firefighters. Presently, RFPS already responds to the Airport for calls that are not
on “air side” and by entering into a joint partnership, this would accomplish two
things; a quicker response to calls on airport property and an increase in coverage
area to the south-western part of the City. The added benefit for the Regina Airport
Authority is that RFPS will station a Tanker at this location and therefore providing
the much-needed water supply for Regina Airport fire suppression services.

Option B: Campbell Street & 25th Avenue. An alternate location for Station 9 is at
Campbell Street & 25th Avenue. This proposed location provides immediate
response to Harbour Landing which is not currently meeting industry best
practices of 4 minutes by RFPS and addresses the travel time gaps from Station
3. Commencement of the Harbour Landing development is likely 2022 including a
new school as a priority.

Staffing Requirements – Phase #2

Based on the addition of a new fire station, the standard staffing increase would be
20 new firefighters for one fire truck.

A new fire truck would be required for the new Station 9

A partnership with the Regina Airport Authority may see the cost of a station
dramatically reduced. Costs may be limited to renovations or a small addition to
the current airport fire hall. If an agreement with the airport authority in unable to
be established, a new fire station would also be required.

Timeline

Mid-term (5-10 years)

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 FIGURE #14c: Fire Station Enhancements - Phase #2 Addition of Station 9A

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 FIGURE #14d: Fire Station Enhancements - Phase #2 Addition of Station 9B

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 8.1.3 Fire Station Expansion - Phase #3 (Station 10)
Phase 3 is to build a new fire station in the northeast area of the City as noted in
the following map in the vicinity of Prince of Wales Drive & 7th Avenue East. This
location is beneficial as it addresses the existing response gap and provides RFPS
quick access on 7th Avenue East to address Glencairn incidents and access to
Prince of Wales Drive to Victoria Avenue. This station location can also access the
commercial and industrial sector.

Staffing Requirements – Phase 3

Based on the addition of a new fire station, the standard staffing increase would be
20 new firefighters.

If a new fire truck is added to the station, additional funding should be included in
the budget.

Timeline

Long-term (10-15 years)

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 175

 FIGURE #14e: Fire Station Enhancements - Phase #3 – Addition of Station 10

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 176

 8.1.4 Fire Station Expansion - Phase #4 (relocate Station 6)
The fourth phase is to build a new fire station in the northwest area of the City as
noted in the following map to replace Station 6. Station 6 was constructed in 1979
and therefore it is prudent to start to the planning for its replacement, which we
have identified at 15-20 years out. The Station would be located closer to where
significant development is planned. This Station relocation should be closely timed
to Phase #5 to cover the movement of the station west.

The new fire station would be able to more effectively cover that part of the City,
where new subdivisions are being added to accommodate an additional 30,000
people.

Staffing Requirements – Phase # 4

In this phase the firefighters from Station 6 would be moved to their new location
so there would not be any additional staffing or apparatus costs.

If a new fire truck is added to the station, additional funding should be included in
the budget.

Timeline

Long-term (15-20 years)

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 177

 FIGURE #14f: Fire Station Enhancements - Phase #4 Map – Relocation of Station 6

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 178

 8.1.5 Fire Station Expansion - Phase # 5 (Station 11)
RFPS should investigate the feasibility of a partnership with the RM of Sherwood
where a capital investment is provided by the RM of Sherwood for a station staffed
by RFPS to quickly respond to the RM of Sherwood as well as the north west of
the city. The Pasqua Street & Diefenbaker Drive station provides good access to
the GTH and Highway 11.

This phase should be closely times with Phase 4, the relocation of Station 6 in
order to minimize the gap between the new Station 6 and Station 2.

Staffing Requirements – Phase # 5

Based on the addition of a new fire station, the standard staffing increase would be
20 new firefighters.

The cost of building the new station could be the responsibility of the RM of
Sherwood.

A new fire truck would be required for the new Station 11.

Timeline

Long-term (15-20 years)

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 179

 FIGURE #14g: Fire Station Enhancements - Phase #5 Map – Addition of Station 11

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 8.1.6 Fire Station Expansion - Phase # 6 – Station 12
The sixth phase is a very long-term addition to the fire service 20-25 years out. A
new station would be located in the vicinity of McCarthy Boulevard & 4th Avenue to
cover the areas between Station 2, 4, 6 and 11. It also provides coverage for the
anticipated development west along Dewdney Avenue as well as enhanced
response to the Global Transportation Hub.

Staffing Requirements – Phase # 6

Based on the addition of a new fire station, the standard staffing increase would be
20 new firefighters.

A new fire truck would be required for the new Station 11.

Timeline

Long-term (20-25 years)

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 181

 FIGURE #14h: Fire Station Enhancements - Phase #6 Map – Addition of Station 12

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 182

 8.1.7 Summary
It should be noted that the timeline for the phases may vary with increased or
decreased growth projections and development timelines. The long-term vision is
to maintain a growth of the fire department consistent with the growth and
demands of the community.

The total anticipated cost if all five fire stations are built, and the Airport option is
not used:

Five new fire stations, including rebuilding Station 6, would cost approximately
$12.5 to $15 million to build over a period of 20-25 years (based on the RM of
Sherwood being responsible for the costs of proposed Station 11. Section 8.2
discusses options for fire stations including multi-purpose buildings and leasing.

Apparatus for five of the fire stations would cost approximately $3.2-$4 million

Staffing for the five fire stations would be estimated at a $2.5 million increase
every 5 years for a total of $12.5 million spread out over 20-25 years.

8.2 Type of Buildings and Options for Fire Stations

A traditional emergency response station has often been a stand-alone fire station.
Municipalities have been moving towards integrating municipal services into
shared use buildings with emergency service response stations being built into
community centres, libraries, public works buildings, etc.

It is common across Canada to have different emergency services co-located in

the same building whether that be fire/police, fire/paramedics, or all three in the
same building. These stations normally have separate quarters within the same
building, with separate entrances and facilities. This permits each service to
operate independently at the same time as taking advantage of the efficiencies of
a single structure.

Municipalities are looking for opportunities to create more efficient use of space
and financial resources and integrate municipal services within the community.
There are several models that are being used in different jurisdictions including
public private partnerships, partnerships with non-profit organizations, and leasing
of available commercial space.

As technology, community demographics, and operational requirements change,

maintaining an ability to be flexible in the station design, construction, and even
location, will benefit the community in the long-term.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 183

 Leasing reduces the initial capital outlay, places building maintenance
responsibility on the landlord, and allows the City the flexibility to move should
there be a change in community development.

The following is the new City of Vancouver Fire Station #5 that is being integrated
into a community housing project run by the YWCA. The two floors make up the
fire station with the upper four floors of the six-storey building providing 31
affordable housing units for single mothers and their children. While the fire station
was funded by the City, the YWCA housing receive funding from the City,
Province, and Federal governments as well as the YWCA who launched a capital
fund raising campaign. Having the two services integrated provides a sense of
safety and security for the single mothers and their children.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 184

 In Calgary, plans are underway to build a multi-use
building (pictured on the right) that includes an
affordable housing tower, a market condo tower,
office and retail complex, along with a fire station
and paramedic station (paramedic services are
operated by the province in Alberta). This is a
public private partnership.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 185

 In Montreal a fire station (pictured below) is built into the ground floor of the Palais
des Congress de Montreal, a convention centre that includes a transit hub and
retail space. This was a public private project including the city and the province.

The City of Barrie has leased the end unit of a commercial strip mall as a fire
station (pictured below). The unit was constructed by the landlord to meet the
City’s requirements. Having a leased unit give the City the flexibility to
move/relocate the station should there be a change in the community
development.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 186

SECTION 9: Summary
9.1 Conclusion
RFPS staff are truly dedicated to the community they serve. During our review, it
was clear that Council, the Executive Leadership Team, and Fire Chief are
sincerely committed to ensuring the safety of the community and the firefighters.
Based on the present staffing, equipment, and fire stations locations, RFPS is
endeavoring to offer the most efficient and effective service possible. There is
always room for improvement, however, and it is hoped that the recommendations
made by Emergency Management and Training Inc. will assist RFPS in meeting its
goals.

All costs and associated timelines are approximate estimates that can be
implemented through prioritization between the Fire Chief, the City Manager, and
Council.

This Plan is a long-range planning document; however, it is recommended that

annual updates be completed, along with a full review to be conducted at the five-
year mark.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page 187

SECTION 10: Appendices
Appendix A: Definitions and References

Automatic Aid Agreements

For the purposes of this report, an automatic aid agreement means any agreement
under which,
a) a municipality agrees to ensure the provision of an initial response to fires,
rescues and emergencies that may occur in a part of another municipality
where a Fire Department in the municipality is capable of responding more
quickly than any Fire Department situated in the other municipality; or
b) a municipality agrees to ensure the provision of a supplemental response to
fires, rescues and emergencies that may occur in a part of another
municipality where a Fire Department situated in the municipality is capable
of providing the quickest supplemental response to fires, rescues and
emergencies occurring in the part of the other municipality.
• Automatic aid is generally considered in other jurisdictions as a program
designed to provide and/or receive assistance from the closest available
resource, irrespective of municipal boundaries, on a day-to-day basis.

CFAI - Community Definitions

• Suburban – an incorporated or unincorporated area with a total population
of 10,000 to 29,999 and/or any area with a population density of 1,000 to
2,000 people per square mile
• Rural – an incorporated or unincorporated area with a total population of
10,000 people, or with a population density of less than 1,000 people per
square mile.

NFPA Documents
o NFPA 1002 – Standard for Fire Apparatus Driver/ Operator
Professional Qualifications
o NFPA 1021 – Standard for Fire Officer Professional
Qualifications
o NFPA 1031 – Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire
Inspector and Plan Examiner
o NFPA 1033 – Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire
Investigator

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page i

 o NFPA 1035 – Standard on Fire and Life Safety Educator, Public
Information Officer, Youth Fire Setter Intervention Specialist and
Youth Fire Setter Program Manager Professional Qualifications
o NFPA 1041 – Standard for Fire Service Instructor Professional
Qualifications
o NFPA 1061 – Professional Qualifications for Public Safety
Telecommunications Personnel
o NFPA 1072 – Standard for Hazardous Materials/ Weapons of
Mass Destruction Emergency Response Personnel
Professional Qualifications
o NFPA 1201 – Standard for Providing Fire and Emergency
Services to the Public
o NFPA 1221 – Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and
Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems
o NFPA 1300-Standard on Community Risk Assessment and
Community Risk Reduction Plan Development
o NFPA 1250-Recommended Practice in Fire and Emergency
Service Organization Risk Management.
o NFPA 1408-Standard for Training Fire Service Personnel in the
Operation, Care, Use, and Maintenance of Thermal Imagers
o NFPA 1500 – Standard on Fire Department Occupational
Safety, Health, and Wellness Program
o NFPA 1521 – Standard for Fire Department Safety Officer
Professional Qualifications
o NFPA 1710 – Standard for the Organization and Deployment of
Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations
and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire
Departments
o NFPA 1730 – Standard on Organization and Deployment of Fire
Prevention Inspection and Code Enforcement, Plan Review,
Investigation, and Public Education Operations
o NFPA 1901 – Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus
o NFPA 1911 – Standard for the Inspection, Maintenance,
Testing, and Retirement of In-Service Emergency Vehicles

Mutual Aid
a) Mutual aid plans allow a participating Fire Department to request assistance
from a neighbouring Fire Department authorized to participate in a plan
approved by the Fire Marshal.
b) Mutual aid is not immediately available for areas that receive fire protection
under an agreement. The municipality purchasing fire protection is

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page ii

 responsible for arranging an acceptable response for back-up fire protection
services. In those cases where the emergency requirements exceed those
available through the purchase agreement and the backup service provider,
the mutual aid plan can be activated for the agreement area.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page iii

 Appendix B: Deliverables
Based on the RFP produced by the City, the FMP shall include:

• A study of future staffing, equipment, and apparatus needs, spanning the

next 25 years, for the City of Regina and for a future scenario that
includes regionalization, including options and recommendations.
• The identification of new fire station locations or realignment of existing
stations based on the OCP’s growth projections for Regina.
• A review of response time models as well as service delivery and support
services requirements, including options and recommendations.
• The use of fire protection technologies, fire and building regulations, and
other deployment factors (traffic signal pre-emption, etc.) will be
considered, including cost projections, to help mitigate the community’s
risk.
• A Stakeholder Summary, outlining the engagement of internal and
external stakeholders.
• A projection of capital and operating costs for facilities, fleet, equipment
and staffing for potential new stations and apparatus.
• A review of alternative models for staffing structure, including options and
recommendations.

The Plan must also:

• Include an implementation plan in five-year increments.

• Follow the City of Regina Approach to Master Plans Corporate Guideline.
• Align with Design Regina: The OCP, the City of Regina Strategic Plan,
RFPS Standards of Cover, the CFAI, and industry best practice.

Based on these criteria and through meetings with the Fire Chief, staff, City
Council and other stakeholders, the consulting team was able to complete a
thorough review, defining elements that are working well and areas requiring
improvement within RFPS.

Through the review of the Fire Department’s facilities, equipment, programs, and
related data, EMT is submitting a total of 49 recommendations for consideration by
the Fire Chief, senior management, and Council to guide RFPS into the future.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page iv

 Appendix C: Next-Generation 9-1-1
In June of 2017, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission CRTC created regulations regarding the Next Generation
Communications for 9-1-1 centres. The following is an excerpt from the CRTC
website regarding the program and its benefits for enhancement to public safety
communications. (Note: due to COVID19, CRTC has postponed the original
delivery dates to a tentative date of 30 March 2024 and that remains under review)

Canadians depend on the provision of reliable and effective 9-1-1

services to seek help in an emergency. As technology and consumers’
needs evolve, so do consumers’ expectations related to 9-1-1 services.
In the coming years, telecommunications networks across Canada,
including the networks used to make 9-1-1 calls, will continue to
transition to Internet Protocol (IP) technology. This will enable Canadians
to access new, enhanced, and innovative 9-1-1 services with IP-based
capabilities, referred to as next-generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1) services.
For example, Canadians could stream video from an emergency
incident, send photos of accident damage or a fleeing suspect, or send
personal medical information, including accessibility needs, which could
greatly aid emergency responders.

In this decision, the Commission is setting out its determinations on the

implementation and provision of NG 9-1-1 networks and services in
Canada. This will require coordination and collaboration between
numerous stakeholders, including the Commission; telecommunications
service providers that provide 9-1-1 services (TSPs); 9-1-1 network
providers; the CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC);
federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments; emergency
responders; and public safety answering points (PSAPs). As such, in this
decision, the Commission is making a number of recommendations in
which all stakeholders will have a role to play, including the
establishment of a national PSAP and emergency responder
coordinating body.

The Commission has determined that an incumbent local exchange

carrier (ILEC) stewardship model under Commission oversight is the
most appropriate with respect to the governance and funding of NG9-1-
1, such that the ILECs will be responsible for the construction, operation,
and maintenance of the NG9-1-1 networks, with Commission oversight,
including through Commission approval of the ILECs’ tariffs.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page v

 The Commission directs all ILECs to establish their NG9-1-1 networks
and to be ready to provide NG9-1-1 Voice service by 30 March
2021 wherever PSAPs have been established in a particular region.

The Commission also directs all TSPs to make the necessary changes
to support NG9-1-1 Voice throughout their operating territories by 30
March 2021 wherever (i) their networks are capable of doing so, and (ii)
PSAPs have launched NG9-1-1 Voice. The Commission determines that
real-time text (RTT)-based NG9-1-1 Text Messaging is the second
method of communication to be supported on the NG9-1-1 networks.
The Commission directs mobile wireless service providers to provide
RTT-based NG9-1-1 Text Messaging throughout their operating
territories by 30 March 2022 wherever (i) their networks are capable of
doing so, and (ii) PSAPs have launched NG9-1-1 Text Messaging. The
Commission also requests that CISC submit to the Commission, for
information, its recommended public education campaign for each new
NG9-1-1 service.

During the transition to NG9-1-1, ILECs are directed to support existing

9-1-1 voice services over the existing 9-1-1 networks in parallel with the
new NG9-1-1 networks. As well, ILECs are to decommission their
current 9-1-1 network components that will not form part of their NG9-1-
1 networks by 30 March 2024. The existing 9-1-1 tariff rate regime for
funding the current 9-1-1 networks will remain in place during the
transition, along with new incremental tariffed rates that will be
established for NG9-1-1. These rates will be in effect until current 9-1-1
networks are decommissioned, at which time final NG9-1-1 network
access tariff rates will be established.

Finally, the Commission is imposing obligations related to (i) ensuring

the reliability, resiliency, and security of the NG9-1-1 networks; (ii)
reporting on NG9-1-1 network outages; and (iii) ensuring privacy in an
NG9-1-1 environment.
Goals and Outcomes of Implementation
1. Effective and timely access to emergency services in Canada is critical
to the health and safety of Canadians and is an important part of
ensuring that Canadians have access to a world-class communication
system.
2. Canadians currently have access to either Basic 9-1-1 or Enhanced 9-1-
1 service through wireline, wireless, and voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP) telephone services wherever a 9-1-1 call centre, also known as a

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page vi

 public safety answering point (PSAP), has been established. Canadians
in areas where a PSAP has not yet been established are typically
required to dial seven- or ten-digit telephone numbers to seek
emergency services from responders such as police, fire, or
ambulance.
3. In the coming years, telecommunications networks across Canada,
including the networks used to make 9-1-1 calls will continue to
transition to IP technology. This transition will have a major impact on
the networks, systems, and arrangements used to provide 9-1-1
services, and will be a complex and costly undertaking that will occur
gradually over a number of years.
4. In paragraph 7 of Telecom Regulatory Policy 2014-342, the Commission
indicated that Canadians should have access to new, enhanced, and
innovative 9-1-1 services with IP-based capabilities, otherwise referred
to as next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) services. As such, the
Commission announced its intention to conduct a comprehensive
examination of NG9-1-1 in order to establish an NG9-1-1 regulatory
framework.
5. With NG9-1-1, Canadians in need of emergency services could
ultimately send a text message or transmit photos, videos, and other
types of data to 9-1-1 operators, in addition to making traditional voice
9-1-1 calls using wireline, wireless, or VoIP telephone services. For
example, they could stream video from an emergency incident, send
photos of accident damage or a fleeing suspect, or send personal
medical information, which could greatly aid emergency responders. 37

37 https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2017/2017-182.htm

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page vii

 Appendix D: Five-Step Staffing Process

Step 1: Scope of Service, Duties, and Desired Outputs

Identify the services and duties that are performed within the scope of the
organization. Outputs should be specific, measurable, reproducible, and time
limited. Among the elements can be the following:
• Administration
• Data collection, analysis
• Delivery
• Authority/responsibility
• Roles and responsibilities
• Local variables
• Budgetary considerations
• Impact of risk assessment

Step 2: Time Demand

Using the worksheets in Table C.2.2(a)-(d), quantify the time necessary to
develop, deliver, and evaluate the various services and duties identified in Step 1,
taking into account the following:
• Local nuances
• Resources that affect personnel needs
Plan Review – Refer to Plan Review Services Table A.7.9.2 of the standard to
determine Time Demand.

Step 3: Required Personnel Hours

Based on Step 2 and historical performance data, convert the demand for services
to annual personnel hours required for each program [see Table C.2.3(a) through
Table C.2.3(e)]. Add any necessary and identifiable time not already included in
the total performance data, including the following:
• Development/preparation
• Service
• Evaluation

• Commute
• Prioritization

Step 4: Personnel Availability and Adjustment Factor

Average personnel availability should be calculated, taking into account the
following:
• Holiday

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page viii

 • Jury duty
• Military leave
• Annual leave/vacation
• Training
• Sick leave
• Fatigue/delays/other
Example: Average personnel availability is calculated for holiday, annual, and sick
leave per personnel member (see Table C.2.4).

Step 5: Calculate Total Personnel Required

Branch of the unassigned personnel hours by the adjustment factor will determine
the amount of personnel (persons/year) required. Any fractional values can be
rounded up or down to the next integer value. Rounding up provides potential
reserve capacity; rounding down means potential overtime or assignment of
additional services conducted by personnel. (Personnel can include personnel
from other agencies within the entity, community, private companies, or volunteer
organizations.)
Correct calculations based on the following:
(1) Budgetary validation
(2) Rounding up/down
(3) Determining reserve capacity
(4) Impact of non-personnel resources (materials, equipment, vehicles) on
personnel
More information on this staffing equation can be found within the NFPA 1730
standard. The Fire Prevention should assess the previous five steps and evaluate
their present level of activity and the future goals of the Branches.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page ix

 Appendix E: NFPA 1710 Initial Full Alarm Responses
Single-Family Dwelling – Initial Full Alarm Response

Function Staffing
1) Establish Incident Command for the overall coordination and direction of 1
the full alarm assignment.
2) Establish uninterrupted water supply of a minimum 400 gpm (1520 L/min) 1
for 30 minutes with supply line maintained by an operator
3) Establish effective water flow application rate of 300 gpm (1140 L/min) 4
from two handlines, each of which has a minimum flow rate of 100 gpm
(380 L/min) with each handline operated by a minimum of 2 members.
4) The provision of one support member for each deployed attack and 2
backup line to provide hydrant hookup and assist in laying of hose lines,
utility control and forcible entry.
5) Provision of at least one victim search and rescue team with each such 2
team consisting of 2 members.
6) Provision of at least one team consisting of at least 2 members to raise 2
ground ladders and perform ventilation.
7) If an aerial device is used in the operations, one member to function as 1
the aerial operator.
8) An initial rapid intervention crew (IRIC) assembled from the initial attack 4
crew and as the initial full alarm arrives, a sustained rapid intervention
crew (RIC) of 4 members. *
Total effective response force with a minimum 16 (17 if an aerial device is 17
used).
** See asterisk below

*NFPA 1710 (3.3.53) defines the Rapid Intervention Crew as a dedicated crew of at least
one officer and three members, positioned outside the IDLH, trained and equipped as
specified in NFPA 1407, who are assigned for rapid deployment to rescue lost or trapped
firefighters.

*NFPA 1710 (3.3.53.1) defines the initial rapid intervention crew (IRIC) as two members of
the initial attack crew, positioned outside the IDLH, trained and equipped as specified in
NFPA 1407 Standard for Training Fire Service Rapid Intervention Crews, who are
assigned for rapid deployment (i.e. two in/two out) to rescue lost or trapped members.

** NFPA 1710 (5.2.2.3) An incident safety officer shall be deployed upon confirmation of a
structural fire, at special operation incidents, or when significant risk is present to the
member due to the nature of the incident. Further to this, NFPA 1710 (5.2.2.3.1) states
that the safety officer meets the requirements as specified in NFPA 1521 Standard for Fire
Department Safety Officer, and shall have the expertise to evaluate hazards and provide
direction with respect to the overall safety of personnel.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page x

 Open-Air Strip Shopping Centre – Initial Full Alarm Response

Function Staffing
1) Establish Incident Command for the overall coordination and direction of 2
the full alarm assignment with a minimum of 2 members dedicated to
managing this task
2) Establish 2 uninterrupted water supplies of a minimum 500 gpm (1892 2
L/min) with each supply line maintained by an operator
3) Establish effective water flow application rate of 500 gpm (1892 L/min) 6
from 3 handlines, each of which has a minimum flow rate of 150 gpm
(568 L/min) with each handline operated by a minimum of 2 members.
4) The provision of one support member for each deployed attack, backup 3
and exposure line to provide hydrant hookup and assist in laying of hose
lines, utility control and forcible entry.
5) Provision of at least two victim search and rescue team with each such 4
team consisting of a minimum of 2 members.
6) Provision of at least two teams consisting of at least 2 members to raise 4
ground ladders and perform ventilation.
7) If an aerial device is used in the operations, one member to function as 1
the aerial operator.
8) At a minimum, an initial rapid intervention crew (IRIC) assembled from 4
the initial attack crew and as the initial full alarm arrives, a full and
sustained rapid intervention crew (RIC) of 4 members.
9) The establishment of an initial medical care component of at least 2 2
members capable of providing immediate on-scene emergency medical
care.
Total effective response force with a minimum 27 (28 if an aerial device is 28
used).

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page xi

 Apartment – Initial Full Alarm Response

Function Staffing
1) Establish Incident Command for the overall coordination and direction of 2
the full alarm assignment with a minimum of 2 members dedicated to
managing this task
2) Establish 2 uninterrupted water supplies of a minimum 400 gpm (1520 2
L/min) with each supply line maintained by an operator
3) Establish effective water flow application rate of 300 gpm (1140 L/min) 6
from 3 handlines, each of which has a minimum flow rate of 100 gpm
(380 L/min) with each handline operated by a minimum of 2 members.
4) The provision of one support member for each deployed attack, backup 3
and exposure line to provide hydrant hookup and assist in laying of hose
lines, utility control and forcible entry.
5) Provision of at least two victim search and rescue team with each such 4
team consisting of a minimum of 2 members.
6) Provision of at least two teams consisting of at least 2 members to raise 4
ground ladders and perform ventilation.
7) If an aerial device is used in the operations, one member to function as 1
the aerial operator.
8) At a minimum, an initial rapid intervention crew (IRIC) assembled from 4
the initial attack crew and as the initial full alarm arrives, a full and
sustained rapid intervention crew (RIC) of 4 members.
9) The establishment of an initial medical care component of at least 2 2
members capable of providing immediate on-scene emergency medical
care.
Total effective response force with a minimum 27 (28 if an aerial device is 28
used).

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page xii

 High-Rise – Initial Full Alarm Response

Function Staffing
1) Establish a stationary Incident Command post outside of the hazard 2
zone for the overall coordination and direction of the full alarm
assignment with a minimum of 1 officer with an aide dedicated to these
tasks and operations are to be conducted in compliance with the Incident
Command System.
2) Establishment of an uninterrupted water supply to the building 1/1
standpipe/sprinkler system connection sufficient to support fire attack
operations and if the building is equipped with a fire pump, one additional
member with a radio to be sent to the fire pump location to monitor and
maintain operations.
3) Establish effective water flow application rate on the fire floor at a 4
minimum of 500 gpm (1892 L/min) from 2 handlines, each handline
operated by a minimum of 2 members.
4) The establishment of an effective water flow application rate on the floor 2
above the fire floor at a minimum of 250 gpm (946 L/min) from at least
one handline, with each deployed handline operated by a minimum of 2
members to safely and effectively handle the line.
5) At a minimum, an initial rapid intervention crew (IRIC) assembled from 4
the initial attack crew and as the initial full alarm arrives, a full and
sustained rapid intervention crew (RIC) of 4 members.
6) Provision of two or more search and rescue teams consisting of at least 4
2 members each.
7) Provision of one officer, with an aide dedicated to establishing an 2
oversight at or near the entry point on the fire floor(s).
8) Provision of one officer, with an aide, dedicated to establishing an 2
oversight at or near the point of entry on the floor above the fire.
9) Provision of two or more evacuation management teams to assist and 4
direct building occupants with evacuation or sheltering actions, with each
team consisting of a minimum of 2 members.
10) Provision of one or more members to account for and manage elevator 1
operations.
11) Provision of a minimum of 1 trained incident safety officer. 1
12) Provision of a minimum of 1 officer two floors below the fire floor to 1
manage the interior staging area.
13) Provision of a minimum of 2 members to manage member rehabilitation 2
and at least one of the members to be trained to the ALS level.
14) Provision of an officer and a minimum of 3 members to conduct vertical 4
ventilation operations.
15) Provision of a minimum of 1 officer to manage the building lobby 1
operations.
16) Provision of a minimum of 2 members to transport equipment to a 2
location below the fire floor.
17) Provision of 1 officer to manage external base operations. 1
18) The establishment of an initial medical care component consisting of a 4
minimum of two crews with a minimum of two members each with one
member trained to the ALS level.
19) Total effective response force with a minimum of 42 (43 if the building is 43
equipped with a fire pump0>

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page xiii

 Appendix F: US Residential Sprinkler Cases
Prince George’s County, Maryland
In 1987, Prince George’s County signed a mandatory fire sprinkler law for all
residential structures and phased in the implementation over a period of 5 years
so that in 1992 all newly constructed single-family homes were to be fully
protected by a residential sprinkler system.

The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Prince George’s County Fire
Department and the University of Maryland conducted a study over a 15-year
period from 1992-2007. During this timeframe there were 101 fire related deaths
and 328 civilian injuries in single-family or townhouse fires with no fire sprinkler
systems and only 6 injuries and no deaths with fire sprinkler systems. Residential
dwellings made up 89% of the fire deaths during the 15-year study. More
noteworthy is that the average fire loss in a non-sprinklered structure was $49,503
as compared to $9,983 with structures protected by a sprinkler system.

Bucks County, Pennsylvania

From 1988-2010 there were 90 fire related deaths in non-sprinklered, one- and
two-family dwellings, and no fire deaths occurring with sprinklered dwellings. The
12-year study documented five incidents in sprinklered homes where at least five
lives were saved. The fire losses for residential fire sprinkler properties was
$14,000 on average, while the non-sprinklered properties was $179,896 on
average. Interestingly, the study was able to determine that for sprinklered
dwellings, an average of 1,287 liters (340 gallons) of water was used, while the
non-sprinklered dwellings required about 22,614 liters (5,974 gallons) of water to
extinguish the fire.

Scottsdale, Arizona
In 1985 the City of Scottsdale, Arizona passed an ordinance for mandatory single-
family residential sprinkler systems and in a 10-year period the population of
Scottsdale increased by 54%. From 1985-1996 a review of commercial, multi-
family and single-family fires in the City of Scottsdale, indicated the average loss
per sprinklered incident was $1,945 as compared to $17,067 per non-sprinklered
incident. In that same timeframe, the study confirmed that 8 lives were saved
because of the sprinkler system. The City of Scottsdale report also indicated that
over the 10-year period 92% of all fire sprinkler activations controlled the fire with
two or fewer sprinkler heads.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page xiv

 Appendix G: Call and Response Data
2018 Call Types

Call Types 2018

Non Emergent
Other, 679, 14% Fires, 869, 17%

Rescue, 125, 2%

Non Emergent CO
Alarm Calls, 151, 3%

EMS, 1238, 25%

Out of City, 93, 2%

Fire Alarm
HazMat, 58, 1% Activations, 1793,
36%

Fires Rescue
Non Emergent CO Alarm Calls Fire Alarm Activations
HazMat Out of City

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page xv

 2017 Call Types

Call Types 2017

Non Emergent Fires, 666, 14%
Other, 722, 15%

Rescue, 92, 2%

Non Emergent CO
Alarm Calls, 147, 3%

EMS, 1130, 24%

Fire Alarm
Out of City, 129, 3% Activations, 1765,
38%
HazMat, 57, 1%

Fires Rescue
Non Emergent CO Alarm Calls Fire Alarm Activations
HazMat Out of City

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page xvi

 Appendix H: Types of Traffic Preemption
Acoustic

Acoustic systems use a detector at the intersections to identify the sound of sirens
to change the traffic light.

Acoustic Advantages

• Use Emergency Vehicle siren as the “emitter”

• No additional devices to be installed on the apparatus
Acoustic Disadvantages

• Siren must attain decibel level of 120 dB so the vehicle must be in proximity
reducing the ability to clear out lead traffic
• Requires four directional microphones for typical intersections
• Reliability is susceptible to:
o reflected waves (echoes bouncing off buildings)
o ambient noise
o loud (120dB) car/tucks (e.g. music systems)
o horns
Optical

Optical systems use a detector at the intersection to identify a strobe light pattern
or IR (infrared) light being emitted by the emergency vehicle.

Optical Advantages

• Strobe lights or infra-red emitters are low priced per vehicle.

Optical Disadvantages

• works only under ideal conditions (proximal line of sight)

• requires four receivers at a typical intersection (greater installation cost)
• reliability is susceptible to visual obstructions (e.g. dirt)
• can be “blinded” by direct or reflected sunlight
• maintenance requirements are large (realignment due to winds, cleaning
due to dust)
• can lock up traffic signals unless disengaged
• susceptible to pirating (emitters can be purchased)
Route-Based

In existence for over 20 years, Route Based Signal Pre-emption have predefined
routes from fire stations to common response locations. When a call is received,
the fire station or dispatcher activates a specific route and the intersection lights

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page xvii

 are changed based on a predetermined route and travel speed. These systems
are not effective if the response is from a location other than the station (e.g. if the
truck is returning from another call) as the traffic light sequences are
predetermined and timed from the start point to a general intersection and only
take into consideration major routes. These systems are economical as they
require minimal equipment are built into the main traffic control system and do not
require hardware or installation at intersections.

Route-Based Advantages

• Lowest cost of all systems

Route-Based Disadvantages

• If normal response route changes due to detours, the system does not
adapt from the most common routes from fire stations.
• Lights change on predetermined timing from the station, so if the truck is
faster or slower than anticipated, the lights may be out of sequence for the
response.
• Limited to most common routes.
• Whole preplanned route changes regardless of the location of the call (e.g.
call is 3 blocks and route is 6 blocks, the lights are changed for all 6 blocks).
GPS

The newest technology uses GPS tracking of the apparatus which is fed into the
traffic light control system via radio signal to adjust the lights. This cycles the traffic
lights well in advance of the responding apparatus to ensure the intersection is
clear before the trucks approach. Quebec City is the first city in Canada to
implement this system where it is estimated that the time savings of an apparatus
is approximately 12 seconds per intersection with traffic lights.

Some of the newest systems even track the turn signals on the emergency
vehicles to provide for a left turn light on the traffic signal to activate ensuring the
apparatus has the clear priority.

GPS Advantages

• Overcomes technical limitations of acoustic, optical, and route-based pre-

emption systems.
• Only one Omni-directional antenna needed per intersection.
• More precisely pre-empt at the desired distance.
• Builds in timing for pedestrian signals.
• Reliability in heavy fog/snow/rain/dust.
• Not limited by obstructions: buildings, buses, semis, foliage, bridges.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page xviii

 • Works around curves and corners in roadway.
• Does not require realignment after heavy winds.
• Can be equipped with a vehicle collision avoidance system to warn of other
emergency vehicles approaching.
GPS Disadvantages

• Initial installation costs are higher

• Annual licensing fees

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page xix

 Appendix I: Operations-Based Exercises
Operations-based exercises include:
• Drills - These are exercises that are intended to evaluate a specific operation. For
example, the RPS, Regina EMS, and RFPS may conduct a drill of a high school
hostage taking or shooting. Drills are easily set up and the benefit of performing
drills is the value of performing a function and identifying any weaknesses.
Weakness may include communication issues, staging concerns, or resource
allocation to the scene. Drills are generally led by one instructor and a follow-up
report (formal or informal) can be distributed to the respected agencies.
• Functional exercises - These exercises incorporate plans, procedures, and
policies into the training scenario. For the most part, these exercises are used by
agencies to test their capabilities of performing multiple functions in a scenario
that is located at a single site. It is a more complex exercise than a drill and will
have a high degree of realism that requires significant preparation time and
resources. For example, RFPS could test its capability to respond to a significant
hazardous materials incident in a city owned facility. Due to the realism and the
objectives of testing specific agency functions, several instructors or facilitators
are required to ensure safe operations and scenario compliance. At the
conclusion of the exercise, debriefing should occur, and a formal After-Action
Report should be completed and distributed to the agencies involved.
• Full-scale exercises - Generally a complex exercise that tests multiple agencies
in a single scenario at multiple sites. These exercises are in real time, highly
realistic, and usually stressful for agency personnel participating in the exercise.
A well-prepared full-scale exercise can take from 6-10 months to prepare and
require a significant investment in resources and funds. Due to the complexity of
the exercise and different locations, several instructors and facilitators are
required to ensure safety and compliance to the storyline of the exercise. A full-
scale exercise is developed with clear objectives to test multiple agencies. Upon
completion of the exercise, a hotwash is conducted. A hotwash is a formal
discussion of the involved agencies performance during the exercise. An After-
Action Report and a formal Improvement Plan are prepared and distributed that
identify actions required to address and improve performance.

Fire Master Plan June 2021 Page xx

The Fire Master Plan is a guiding document to position Regina fire service
for community and economic growth over the next 25 years.

Please visit Regina.ca/fire or call 306-777-7000 for more information.

1205 Ross Avenue

Regina, SK S4P 3C8