Last year firefighters remained under their target response time by recording an average response of six minutes and 18 seconds to red-alarm incidents.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services averaged six minutes and 18 seconds to respond to more than 1,300 red alarm incidents in 2025, several minutes below the provincial average and below the approved time set by council.
On Monday, fire chief Chad Eakins presented the Fire and Emergency Services’ 2025 year-in-review report to members of the public services committee, and said local firefighters have a goal to have their first responding primary engine to an incident within six minutes and 20 seconds, and if needed, have a full alarm assignment of all three stations responding in 12 minutes and 20 seconds.
“Response is critical as it significantly improves life safety and responder safety outcomes, fire containment and property conservation,” said Eakins, who explains every second counts in emergency situations when first responders are looking for victims and entering buildings that could collapse due to fire exposure.
Notably, local firefighters are consistently able to gear up and be on the road within an 80-second time period.
In 2025, firefighters responded to 5,128 total incidents, of which 2,584 were classified as emergency, including fires, rescues, medical responses and motor vehicle collisions.
Of those, firefighters battled 39 structure fires at residential houses and four at non-residential buildings. They also reported attending 249 fire events classified as “destructive.”
Of all combined fires, 78 investigations were conducted. According to the report, last year the department saved $34.4 million in property and infrastructure from fire, and protected another $30.7 million. A total of $3.7 million was lost as a result of fires in 2025.
Last year the top cause for fires in Medicine Hat was arson, followed by undetermined, careless smoking, appliance related and lithium-ion battery related.
Local firefighters are also active in medical response and are able to provide early life-saving interventions like CPR to support patients until EMS arrives.
In 2025, firefighters responded to 507 medical first calls, including some of the most critical calls for immediate medical intervention.
“Heart attack CPR, those kinds of things where an intervention is necessary now,” said Eakins. “We think that’s a real positive for the community and our residents.”
Firefighters also responded to 271 motor vehicle collisions last year and have listed the top five intersections for collisions:
– 13th Avenue SE at Trans-Canada Hwy
– College Avenue at Trans-Canada Hwy
– 16th Street SW at Trans-Canada Hwy
– 13th Avenue SE at Strachan Road
– Dunmore Road at Trans-Canada Hwy
Last year local crews underwent more than 1,000 hours of technical rescue training, more than 700 hours of hazmat training and more than 380 hours of water rescue training.
“This ensures our personnel are prepared to respond safely and effectively to both routine and complex agencies,” added Eakins. “We also continue to strengthen specialized response capabilities, including surface water and ice rescue, hazardous materials response and technical rescue operations, allowing us to respond effectively to unique risks that our community presents.”
The fire services operating budget in 2025 was approximately $19 million, with the largest expense being wages at more than 90 per cent of the budget.
