Fire, Emergency Services & Safety

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County of St. Paul Fire Departments, Emergency Services & Safety

 

Effective 1:00 PM, Friday May 26, 2023, the County of St. Paul is under a Fire Restriction.
The Fire Restriction reads as follows:

1. Safe campfires are allowed in campgrounds and other areas only with approved pits.  Pits should be constructed of non-combustible material, and a spark arrester or metal guard should be in place while in use.

2. No open fires are allowed within the County. I.e. brush piles, grassfield

3. No new burn permits will be issued, and all existing permits continue to be cancelled.

We ask everyone to enjoy themselves responsibly, and to ensure their campfires are attended to at all times and completely extinguished when finished.

If you have any questions, you may direct enquiries to the County of St. Paul at 780-645-3301 or St. Paul Fire Services at 780-645-4100.

 

Link to Fire Advisory System - what it means, what is allowed/not allowed

 

 

ATV USE

The County would encourage ATV owners to act responsibly as it it still dry in some areas of the County.

Many of the fires we have been fighting in the past weeks have been due to sparks from ATV’s.

If ATV use is necessary, riders should be prepared/equipped to put out fires that result from sparks originating from their ATV.

 


The County would also like to encourage any landowners that had burned brush during the winter season to monitor these areas as many of them have relit due to the windy conditions in the area.

 


How and When to Contact the St. Paul RCMP Detachment

 

FireSmart Home Assessment - Free!

This summer, keep your rural home and property safe.  Property owners in the County of St. Paul can get a free FireSmart Home Assessment.

Are your gutters and the roof free of debris?  That’s just one issue around your home that’s looked at by trained assessors in about thirty minutes.

You’ll receive an easy-to-understand report … And peace of mind.

Contact Deputy Fire Chief Henry Thomson at 780-645-4100 to book your free FireSmart Home Assessment in the County of St. Paul.
FireSmart Begins at Home Manual


Seeking On-Call Volunteer Firefighters

Our communities are protected by dedicated teams of volunteer firefighters.
Volunteer Fire Departments are key teams that improve community safety. 

The Ashmont and Mallaig Fire Departments are recruiting Firefighters to assist with emergency situations in our communities. 

If you are interested in accepting this interesting and important challenge, see this link for information and who to contact.

 

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The County of St. Paul is supported by the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority who is proud to offer members of the Deaf, Deafened, Hard of Hearing and Speech Impaired (DHHSI) Community for a new text with 9-1-1 service.  This service provides easier access for DHHSI community members to communicate with emergency services.
View
the media release for more information.

Wildfire Prevention Tips
When there is snow on the ground, wildfires are probably the last thing on your mind, but you can still reduce the threat of wildfire for the coming winter and spring.
Source: Farm and Acreage - A Guide to Reducing the Risk of From Wildfire
(Alberta Government, FireSmart)

Learn how you can protect your home
and property from wildfires.

Download the FireSmart App
How safe is your home and property from wildfires
Prune Tree Branches
Trim Branches that are over the roof
Move patio furniture
Clean the gutters
Move materials away from stationary propane tanks
Space evergreen trees
Clear the ground around your home
Mow grass and weeds
Clear fence lines

FireSmart Begins at Home Manual

Sign Up for Emergency Alerts

We would encourage to residents to sign up for Alberta Emergency Alert.  Community emergency information will be provided through this system.

Emergency Preparedness Toolkit

Firefighting

Our communities are protected by dedicated teams of volunteer firefighters.

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Become a Volunteer Firefighter

Each department has weekly volunteer practice nights that any newcomer interested in volunteering is welcome to join. For more information on contact location and more, please see the regional fire departments listing below.

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Fire/Burn Permits

Effective 1:00 PM, Friday May 26, 2023, the County of St. Paul is under a Fire Restriction. The Fire Restriction reads as follows:

3. No new burn permits will be issued, and all existing permits continue to be cancelled.

We ask everyone to enjoy themselves responsibly,
and to ensure their campfires are attended to at all times and completely extinguished when finished.

If you have any questions, you may direct enquiries to the County of St. Paul at 780-645-3301 or St. Paul Fire Services at 780-645-4100.

 

 

SUSPENDED UNDER FIRE RESTRICTION -- Fire permits for the County of St. Paul are now issued online. 

This means that residents no longer need to visit the County Administration Office or the Town of Elk Point Office for a fire permit. 

How to Apply

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Sign Up

You will need an email.

You will need to register for a public account at this link. An email will be sent to your email for a password to be set up. Also check the inbox and junk/spam folder.
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Apply for a Fire Permit

You will need information including property owner information and the land location. 

 

Click here to apply for a permit

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Step by Step Instructions

See the information here for complete instructions. It should take about 10 minutes to apply online.

An approved fire permit will be emailed to you.  You can check the status of your application
through this link that was used to apply for the fire permit.

Once submitted, the application for a permit will be reviewed within 1 business day. 

Please plan ahead.   Applications are not reviewed on weekends or statutory holidays. 

 

County of St. Paul recognizes that within the municipal boundaries of the County, residents and visitors may want to ignite an open-air fire. The County also recognizes that is necessary to establish guidelines for issuing
fire restrictions and fire bans to regulate open-air fires.

The County has established a clear guide under the Fire Systems Activities Policy for levels of fire activity
restrictions within its borders.

Here are 4 important things to know to manage the risk of fires getting out of control.

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The County of St. Paul would like to stress that landowners who are issued Fire Permits, must contact the Bonnyville 911 Dispatch Service prior to igniting their fire at 780-826-7446.

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All approved fires by Permit are subject to Provincial or local Fire Bans, declared upon the threat of a fire hazard to the citizens or property within the boundaries of the County of St. Paul.

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Fires must be attended at all times and should be completely extinguished before they are left unattended. County residents with burn barrels are reminded that they can be a problem in spring conditions and a spark-arresting screen must be in place.

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Any brush piles that were ignited over the winter, should be checked to ensure that they are completely extinguished and that there is no danger of a ground fire starting.

Regional Fire Departments

For specific information and contact for each regional fire department please see the list below.

2022 Fire Calls include medical assists, motor vehicle collisions, rubbish fires, structure fires, vehicle fires, and more:
Ashmont:  51 calls
Elk Point: 100 calls (as of November 30, 2022)
Mallaig:  31 calls
St. Paul  215 calls

Fire Award

2022 Firefighter of the Year

Congratulations to Lieutenant Chad Bachelet on being selected as the 2022 Firefighter of the Year. Chad's commitment to his community, and his dedication to the job made him an excellent recipient of this award.  The award was presented at the Departments Annual Awards Night on January 20th, 2023.

Fire Service Exemplary Metals

Firefighter Paul Jean (right photo) and Assistant Fire Chief Ben Burton both received the Fire Service Exemplary Medal at the Department’s Annual Awards Presentations on January 20th, 2023. The Fire Services Exemplary Medal recognizes members of the Canadian Fire Services who have served a minimum of 20 years, of which 10 years have been served in the performance of duties involving high risks. It is just not a given that everyone who serves 20 years will receive this recognition.  Assisting in the presentations were Mayor Maureen Miller from the Town of St. Paul, Reeve Glen Ockerman from the County of St. Paul,
and Fire Chief Kotowich. Congratulations to both members.

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Ashmont Fire Department

Fire Chief:
James Preston
780-210-5161

Deputy Fire Chief:
Wendell Baerg
780-614-5791

Address:
59413 RR 113
Ashmont, AB  T0A 0C0

Please join us at our volunteer practice on every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month.

[Follow them on Facebook]

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Elk Point Fire Department

Fire Chief:
Bryce Osinchuk

Deputy Fire Chief:
Todd Wilkins

Address:
7 Railway Ave.
Elk Point, AB  T0A 1A0

Please join us at our weekly volunteer practice night on Monday's at 7:00 pm.

[Follow them on Facebook]

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St. Paul Fire Department

Fire Chief:
Trevor Kotowich
780-645-4100

Deputy Fire Chief:
Henry Thomson
780-645-4100

Address:
5101 50 St.
St. Paul, AB  T0A 3A1

Volunteer practice happens every Friday night.

[Follow them on Facebook]

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Mallaig Fire Department

Fire Chief:
Raymond Brousseau
780-614-0772

Deputy Fire Chiefs:
Justin L'Heroux
780-815-1049

Cody Bodnar
780-645-0316

Address:
Mallaig, AB

Please join us at our volunteer practice on every 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month.

Personal Property Insurance and Fire Coverage - Residents,  should check their insurance policies regarding fire coverage. 

The rates the County charges to residents for Fire Calls are as per the Alberta Transportation Fee Schedule and the County's Bylaw 2021.08 (see below). 

It is now Wildfire Season and all indications are that the spring and summer will be dry.  Please ensure that your property has proper insurance coverage. 

Type of Fire CallFees
False Alarm1st Response
2nd Response
3rd Response
4th Response and Subsequent Response
No Charge
$100
$200

$300
Resets every calendar year
Fire Call for County Resident First 2 hours on scene

Over 2 hours on scene
No Charge

Charged at 50% of Alberta Transportation Rates per hour per piece of equipment. Maximum bill to be $5,000
Fire Call for County Resident Open Burning (no permit) or
Burning during a Fire Restriction or Fire Ban
1 hours minimum ($630) plus any additional time spent changed as per Alberta Transportation Rate Fee Schedule, per piece of equipment on scene.

Charged from the time fire equipment leave the hall until equipment is back in service.

Emergency Preparedness Resources

Please use the following resources to prepare your family in case of an emergency. When an emergency occurs, family members may not be together and could be at school, home or work. It’s important to sit down with your family and make your own emergency plan so that each family member knows what to do if an emergency occurs.

The Office of Emergency Management for the Region of St. Paul is now under Fire Services Authority.

REMA Facebook Page

What to do in an Emergency

How to Build a 72 Hour Emergency Kit

Prepare and Emergency Plan

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact

If you have an Fire related question we invite you to contact the County of St. Paul using the contact information found on this page.

Contact Information

JASON STORCH, Director, Community Services
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 780-645-3001 ext. 1204

Address:
5015 - 49 Avenue
St. Paul, AB  T0A 3A4

Regular Hours: 
8:30am - 4:30pm
Closed for lunch from 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Closed all Statutory Holidays


Bylaw Enforcement Officer 

TAMMY GODDU, Bylaw Enforcement Officer
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 780-201-6777