Jan 10, 2021

St Albert Today Story

Sturgeon Point Villas residents banded together last Friday to help save three children who had to leap from a burning apartment. 

Seventeen firefighters, four fire trucks, several ambulances and many RCMP officers swarmed Rivercrest Crescent at about 4:30 p.m. Aug. 7 in response to a fire at the Sturgeon Point Villas apartment complex (the serpentine building next to St. Albert Centre and the Sturgeon River).

Villas resident Carolyn Martindale said she called the fire department as soon as she heard the alarm go off, and smelled smoke when she opened an outside door for the police.

“It wasn’t until I came out to the riverside (side of the complex) that I saw smoke billowing out of the windows,” she said.

Villas resident Christina H., who knew the people in the burning apartment, said she and her kids spotted the smoke right away when they evacuated the building.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘the three kids,’” she said, referring to the mother and three toddlers she knew lived in that apartment.

Christina said she ran around banging on nearby doors and windows telling people to get out, and flung open the burning apartment’s patio door, getting a huge whiff of smoke in the process. She could hear children screaming from the apartment’s second-floor window. 

Balrit Singh, who lived a few units away from the fire and was dressed for his shift at Domino’s Pizza in St. Albert, said he heard Christina shouting about the kids in the apartment.

“I heard kids screaming,” he said.

Singh said he tried to run in the open patio door to rescue them but was pulled back by another man, who pointed out that the apartment was full of thick, grey smoke. The two of them noticed a boy looking to jump from the second-floor window, and encouraged him to leap, arms ready to catch him.

“You could tell he could hardly understand us. He was almost passed out from the smoke,” Singh said.

“If the kids (hadn’t) come out, in another five minutes they would have been gone.”

After neighbour Toni-Marie King got them a small picnic table to stand on, Singh and the other man caught the boy and the young girl who followed him. They caught the third child when the mother dropped them out the window, but told her to stay put when she prepared to jump, as they could see fire crews pulling up to the building and weren’t sure they could safely catch her.

Firefighters saw a woman hanging half out the window amidst thick smoke upon arrival, said acting St. Albert fire chief Scott Wilde. Crews put up a ladder, pulled her to safety and soon put the fire out.

Wilde said a woman and two youths were taken to Edmonton hospitals for treatment for smoke inhalation. The fire was contained to one apartment, which suffered extensive smoke damage. Investigators had yet to determine the cause of the blaze.

King said the unit above the burning apartment also suffered extensive harm from the blaze, and that the mother and child who lived there were now staying in a hotel. 

Wilde said Sturgeon Point Villas did not have a sprinkler system.

Jan 10, 2021

St Albert Today Story

Global News Story

Feb 19, 2020

Link to story

At least six cats were rescued after a home in Mission went up in flames over the weekend, but two of the felines are still missing.

On Sunday night just before 7:30 p.m., St. Albert Fire Services responded to a fire near St. Vital Ave. and Marion Cres. The city said in an email that there were no injuries from the blaze. Some 19 firefighters responded and fire services requested mutual aid support, with Spruce Grove and Morinville coming to the rescue.

Dylan Dawson, who rented the basement of the house that went up in flames, came home around 8:30 p.m. to see his home on fire.

Dawson and his girlfriend Alannah Rose had both been gone when the fire broke out but arrived home at the same time and were immediately worried about their four cats. Dawson said two of the cats used their cat door to escape the blaze. The duo, Neo and Gertrude, are still missing and Dawson suspects they are somewhere in the neighbourhood.

Dawson added the two missing cats are mostly black and fluffy. Neo has lots of white on his front and paws while Gertrude is mainly black with a small patch of white on her chest. Dawson asks anyone who sees the cats to call him at 780-243-7215.

The other two cats, Griffin and Artemis, were rescued by firefighters during the event. The homeowner, who also lived at the property, had a mother cat with a new litter that was also rescued by firefighters.

The couple and their two rescued felines are staying at his parents’ house in St. Albert.

“The first day they were dirty. We had to clean them up that night so they weren’t destroying things. They’re doing really well so there are no real signs of damage. They weren’t burnt or anything. They were just wet and dirty,” Dawson said.

Dawson, 23, said he and Rose, 25,  lost most of their possessions to either water or smoke damage and estimated around five per cent of their possessions are salvageable.

The couple did not have insurance so they will not be compensated for any of their lost stuff but Dawson said their spirits are not completely crushed as they had been planning to move to Nova Scotia in a couple of months and had been planning on minimizing their possessions.

Dawson said after talking to firefighters at the scene, he believes the fire started in a fireplace chimney.

“The chimney caught fire somewhere on the second floor,” Dawson said.

The City of St. Albert said early Tuesday morning the fire was still under investigation.

Eyewitness Tristen Stoneman said she heard from her son just after the fire broke out who said the flames were high in the Mission area and there was an orange and yellow glow radiating out of the neighbourhood from the flames.

Stoneman said as the firefighters poured water on the blaze the streets began to flood with ankle deep water that turned quickly to ice.

“The water was just pouring out of the windows. It was just like a river,” Stoneman said.

Once the home was safe to enter, the cats began to come out of the home.

“I ended up in the fire truck with these cats trying to warm them up and we're trying to feed them little bits of milk and stuff like that,” Stoneman said.

Stoneman said a mother cat with four kittens, belonging to the homeowner, were pulled out of the house. Stoneman took off her jacket and scarf to help warm them up and firefighters used heat packs to try to keep the mother cat and her babies warm.

An additional cat was pulled out of the building that belonged to the renters and put inside the fire truck. Stoneman climbed back into the truck to try to calm the cat down and warm it up.

“It was just shivering like crazy for a good hour and I just tried to hold it down and give it my warmth,” Stoneman said.

Finally firefighters plucked another adult cat, belonging to the renters, from the rafters of the burned-out building and put it in another truck to keep warm. Stoneman stuck around until around 1:30 a.m. when she finally returned home.

Looking at the home the next day, Stoneman said one half had been engulfed in flames and burned out and the other half of the long rectangular house was covered in icicles.

Two fires in February

The fire in Mission was at least the second fire in just over a week in the city.

On Feb. 8 just after 3:07 p.m. a fire broke out at a home near Laird Dr. and Laval Pl. in Lacombe Park.

The city estimates the damage for the fire to be at $100,000 and the damage was limited to the upper floor and attic. The fire originated from a bathroom ceiling fan.

No injuries were reported in the fire and 19 firefighters responded to put the blaze out.

This is the second fire this winter that was sparked by a bathroom ceiling fan. The first was on Dec. 9 in Erin Ridge and there were no injuries reported in the fire.

In an emailed statement, spokesperson Marci Ng said St. Albert Fire Services reminds all residents that proper maintenance of electrical appliances and equipment is very important. If something is not working properly, repair or replace it, using a qualified electrician if necessary.

Feb 09, 2020

We are proud to host the annual St Albert Firefighters Fire and Ice Festival. This event hosted at Lacombe Lake Park has many great activities for all ages! While the event Is free we encourage you to donate to Muscular Dystrophy Canada. Below is list of the activities and how to get to event:

(Due to Lake not safe no skating will be allowed this year)

• Kids Firefighter Obstacle Course
• Petting Zoo from Finnegan Farms
• Fun crafts with Home Depot
• Fire Artist Performance – 1:30 and 2:30 pm
• Sleigh Rides from MP Stables
• Cabane à Sucre from ACFA Régionale de Centralta
• Temporary glitter tattoos from Sparkle Tattoo
• Ice carver
• Food and refreshments
• Fire pits

Accessibility parking will be available for those with mobility challenges. Otherwise, there will be no parking at Lacombe Lake Park during this event. Please use the free Park and Ride from Bellerose Composite High School, which starts at 11:50 am and runs every 10 minutes until 4:30 pm. The last bus departs Lacombe Lake Park at 4:40 pm. Dogs are permitted on the bus where space allows.

We hope to see you come and celebrate Family Day with us!

Jan 10, 2020

The posting for 10 Positions as Fire/Medic is now open!

Click here to be taken to Application Link

Firefighter/Medic

The City of St. Albert, home to more than 66,000 residents, is a beautiful community adjacent to northwest Edmonton. Known as the Botanical Arts City, St. Albert is a community renowned for its commitment to a green lifestyle and the cultivation of activities that provide for a well-rounded quality of life. In recent years, St. Albert has ranked at the top of several national surveys recognizing us as a great place to raise a family, with an excellent quality of life.

With over 100 years of service to its credit, St. Albert Fire Services plays an integral role in shaping and serving our community. We are excited to be recruiting for 10 new permanent Firefighter/Medics to join our department in 2020. 

A career with a fully integrated fire and emergency medical service is exciting, fulfilling, diverse and challenging. Operating from three stations, St. Albert Fire Services members are ready to respond to any emergency 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The department's dedicated team of professionals saves lives and protects properties by responding quickly and effectively to suppress fires and provide medical and rescue attention in disaster and other emergency situations. We provide our members with ongoing professional development in firefighting, fire prevention, medical response, and search and rescue techniques. If you thrive on teamwork, want to help those in need, and have a desire to contribute to your community, consider applying today!

We seek applicants who have the following minimum qualifications, as of the date you submit your application:
• Completion of High School Diploma or GED
• Currently registered with the Alberta College of Paramedics as an Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP) or a 2nd year Advanced Care Paramedic student (eligible to write the Advanced Care Paramedic Provincial Registration Examination no later than November 29, 2020)
• Hold a valid Alberta Class 4 driver’s licence and can provide a driver’s abstract demonstrating safe driving behaviour (six demerits or fewer). 
• Have the ability to successfully obtain, and maintain, a vulnerable sector police information check
• Ability to pass medical standards, including eyesight and audible, as outlined in the NFPA standard

Please note:
• A valid Alberta Class 3 driver’s licence and Air Brake (Q) endorsement are conditions of employment that must be obtained on or before the commencement date.

The following are considered assets:
• Completion of NFPA 1001, Level I and II with appropriate IFSAC or Pro Board Seals
• Emergency medical/fire response work experience
• Current ITLS certification
• Current PALS certification
• Current ACLS Certification
• Other education/volunteering

In accordance with the St. Albert’s Fire Fighters Association IAFF Local 2130 Collective Agreement, the current range for Emergency Services Personnel begins at a Probationary rate of $81,195 per year, up to First Class rate of $104,096 per year.

PROCESS
Short-listed candidates will be invited to participate in our 2020 recruitment campaign which includes:

Phase 1: Firefighter Aptitude, Medical Knowledge/OSCE and Job Skills Assessments
Phase 2: Firefighter Physical Fitness Assessment conducted by the University of Alberta 
Phase 3: Panel Interviews and Employment References
Phase 4: Pre-placement Medical Assessment
Phase 5: Offers of employment

Please visit the Firefighter/Medic Recruitment page of the City of St. Albert Careers website for up-to-date information about the process and timeline: https://access.stalbert.ca/cosa/careers/emergency-services/

Information Sessions
St. Albert Fire Services is hosting two information sessions to share information with potential applicants about a career with the department and details of the upcoming recruitment process.
Dates: Wednesday, January 22, 2020 or Monday, February 3, 2020
Time: Both sessions will be held from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Location: Fire Station 3, 100 Giroux Road, St. Albert

Ready to apply? Excellent! Here's what you need to do:
1. Respond to the questions below 
2. Click 'Apply for this job' and you will create, or log-in to, your candidate profile
3. Upload a cover letter and resume to express interest in this opportunity

At a later phase of the process you will be asked to provide proof of education, training certifications, licensure with the Alberta College of Paramedics, a driver’s abstract and Vulnerable Sector Police Information Check.

We wish to express our appreciation to all applicants for their interest and effort in applying for this position. However, only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. The City of St. Albert will no longer accept applications in person, via fax, email or by post.

Dec 18, 2019

Link to story from St Albert Today

The St. Albert Fire Department has responded to at least two fires in the last couple of weeks, one starting in a kitchen and another sparked by a bathroom fan.

According to city spokesperson Marci Ng, the fire department has responded to two residential structure fires since the end of November, with one person being taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.

The city did not provide someone for an interview with the Gazette about the fires.

According to an emailed statement from city spokesperson Marci Ng, a fire broke out in Erin Ridge on Dec. 9 because of a bathroom fan. At around 3:30 p.m., a fire happened in the attic of a two-storey residence at Edgemont Point.

Ng said 17 firefighters attended the scene and the fire caused an estimated $100,000 in damage due to fire and water damage to part of the upper floor and attic area.

The city said there were no injuries in the fire, which the Gazette confirmed with neighbours.

“Everyone plays a role in fire prevention. To help prevent fires in your home, St. Albert Fire Services recommends turning off all appliances, fans etc., when leaving the house. Also, ensure your fans and duct work are cleaned regularly to prevent buildup of lint,” the emailed statement from Ng read.

Joseph Selann, who lives in the house next door, said he was just arriving home when the fire department was arriving to extinguish the fire.

“There were flames shooting out through the roof. I understand that a fan in the upstairs bathroom burnt out and caught fire and then it escalated from there on,” Selann said.

“It was pretty scary.”

Selann said the homeowners were home at the time the fire broke out and called the fire department.

Selann said he was impressed by the firefighters' response to the event.

“The fire department was amazing. They were here in about probably four minutes,” Selann said.

“They had four fire trucks here, plus the command vehicle, plus an ambulance, so there was a lot of activity.”

Ng wrote that some 17 firefighters attended a fire on Fenwick Crescent around 6:45 p.m. and one person was treated on the scene for unknown injuries and transported to the hospital.

The email stated the damage was estimated at $100,000 and the fire was confined to the kitchen but the home suffered extensive smoke and water damage.

“St. Albert Fire Services reminds all residents that fires can start quickly. To help prevent fires in your home, remain in your kitchen when cooking and don’t leave elements or your stove unattended. Take special care when cooking with oil,” the email from Ng read.