Local fire department seeking paid-on-call recruits

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Strathmore Fire Department is looking to the local community for recruits to be paid-on-call firefighters.

The Town of Strathmore indicated that recruitment had begun for the open positions on June 30. The opportunity is meant to be open to a wide range of residents with backgrounds of most sorts and schedules. 

Fire Chief David Sturgeon explained the recruitment, interview, and selection processes are largely about attitude as opposed to background.

“The biggest thing we are looking for is somebody who has got some mechanical aptitude, or wants to learn that side, but really, we are hiring for attitude. We want somebody who is willing to learn, they have a good attitude, they can work as a team, and we can train the rest,” he said. “It is really just about hiring the right attitudes that fit within our current makeup, and we will train the rest.”

No prior training or certifications are required to apply, as the Strathmore Fire Department will offer any necessary training throughout the onboarding process. 

The fire department is looking to onboard approximately 12 new recruits, which Sturgeon added is one of their larger recruitment campaigns.

Paid-on-call firefighters respond to fires, medical emergencies, and support the department’s regular full-time staff when multiple incidents occur simultaneously.

They are also compensated for every hour they spend responding to emergencies, attending training sessions, and participating in other approved activities.

“The initial first year training is pretty heavy. You are given full certification as a firefighter … we provide that training, so if you were to go anywhere like a trades college for that you would be looking at anywhere from $15,000 to $25,000 to do that on your own,” said Sturgeon. “That is something we do in house with full certification at the end of it through the province of Alberta … from there, you blend in with our regular members where we have kind of an ongoing requirement for minimum training standards, but it is nothing like the first year.”

Paid-on-call members are also not required to resign from their regular full-time jobs in order to join the team. Sturgeon explained schedule expectations may be roughly similar to that of a part-time job.

Part of recruiting large numbers of new members is to account for the contingency of losing recruits during the first-year training process. Sturgeon added he anticipates losing upwards of 20 per cent of new members due to life changes, inability to fulfill commitments, or other assorted reasons.

Interviews will take place at the end of August, and hiring will commence within the first two weeks of September. Training will begin shortly after hiring is formalized. 

Information about how to apply can be found through the Town of Strathmore’s website, or by contacting the fire department directly at 403-934-3022.