PITT MEADOWS, B.C. – The City of Pitt Meadows is proud to announce the expansion of its Fire & Rescue Service with the addition of four new flex firefighters. This enhancement brings the department’s 24/7 career firefighting team to 21 members, strengthening emergency response capabilities and reinforcing the City’s commitment to public safety, a priority within the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.

“The safety and well-being of our residents is a top priority for Council, and the addition of four new flex firefighters is a significant step forward in strengthening our emergency response capacity,” says Mayor Nicole MacDonald. “We are proud to support our Fire & Rescue Service as they continue to serve the Pitt Meadows community with dedication and excellence.”

Pitt Meadows Fire & Rescue is now supported by a team of 27 staff—including International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and CUPE members as well as management—alongside 22 paid-on-call firefighters and 25 Emergency Support Services volunteers. This expansion ensures continued excellence in protecting the lives, property and environment of the Pitt Meadows community.

“The addition of four flex firefighters to our team helps ensure we continue to deliver high-quality service to the community while supporting the health and sustainability of our crews,” says Fire Chief Stephan Drolet. “In addition, it prepares the department for future growth and increasing demands on emergency services.”

This staffing expansion is the latest in a series of significant enhancements to the Pitt Meadows Fire & Rescue Service. Over the past several years, the department has seen continued investments in staffing, equipment, training and service delivery—each aimed at strengthening emergency preparedness and ensuring a high level of service for the community. The addition of four flex firefighters marks another important step in this ongoing commitment to growth and improvement, building on a strong foundation and further positioning the department to meet the evolving needs of Pitt Meadows.

“The addition of four new hires to our fire department underscores City Council's ongoing commitment to public and firefighter safety,” says President of Pitt Meadows IAFF Local 4810 Brent Hannah. “These new team members will play a vital role in ensuring a fully staffed first engine, which will help reduce firefighter burnout and minimize the reliance on overtime. We are excited to continue collaborating with City officials to deliver exceptional, reliable first-response services to our community during emergencies.”

Fire & Rescue Service Enhancements since 2019:

• 2019 – City Council decided to rebuild the fire hall on the existing building site. Building is demolished in Summer 2020 and construction began.
• 2019 – Hired two additional full-time career firefighters to bring the total number of career firefighters from two to four.
• 2020 – Fire Service Review completed. This included a presentation at the November 17, 2020 Public Council Meeting.
• 2021 – Four additional full-time career firefighters were hired, bringing the total number of career firefighters from four to eight.
  • At this stage, Pitt Meadows Fire & Rescue Service had four-person coverage from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m., seven days per week.
• 2021 – The City acquired a new apparatus for the Fire Department’s fleet (Engine 1), replacing one of its aging trucks.
• 2022 Budget – City subscribed to the new digital region-wide E-Comm radio system for improved emergency communications, interoperability and for public and officer safety.
• 2023 Budget – Pitt Meadows City Council unanimously approved the addition of nine career firefighters.
• May 2023 – The department welcomed eight new career firefighters, for a total of sixteen full-time career firefighters who work seven days per week on a rotating four on/four off schedule. One training officer was also hired.
• June 2023 – The new Pitt Meadows Fire Hall opened and the fire department transitioned to a 24/7 model.
  • To facilitate the transition to a 24/7 response model, significant staffing changes were implemented.
  • The department promoted four existing firefighters to career captains, and another four to acting officers.
  • In collaboration with the Pitt Meadows Firefighters local of the International Association of Fire Fighters, a Mentoring and Officer Development Program was initiated, which included on-duty training focused on developing and mentoring those new to their roles.
• September 2023 – After opening the new fire hall and transitioning to 24/7 coverage, there was a dramatic reduction in nighttime response times from an average of seven to nine minutes to an astounding two minutes and 29 seconds.
• 2024 Budget – Included hiring four additional flex firefighters to ensure that Pitt Meadows Fire & Rescue Service has four firefighters on the first responding apparatus 100 per cent of the time.
• 2025 – Four flex firefighters approved by Council in the 2024 Budget join the department, bringing the total number of full-time firefighters to 21, including the training officer.

For more information about Pitt Meadows Fire & Rescue Service, please visit pittmeadows.ca/fire.

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For more information please contact:
Tia O’Grady
Manager of Communications and Civic Engagement
City of Pitt Meadows

media@pittmeadows.ca