Cost of Fire in Calgary

[five_alarm]

GALGARY, AB - Damage costs resulting from fires in Calgary this year are skyrocketing even though the number of blazes the Calgary Fire Department has handled is down from last year. John Conley, public information officer for the fire department, told the Herald Wednesday that 1,225 fires have caused $127 million in damages to the end of June this year. Last year, the figures until the end of June showed 1,328 fires caused $76 million in damage. "Those figures include everything from garbage fires to house fires to building fires," said Conley.

Source: Calgary Herald... (http://www.firehall.com/cgi-bin/refer?url=http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx?id=c3a8170d-b1b6-4e1a-8b9d-aedfcc5b7284&s=&linkid=162&parent=news)

[five_alarm]

CALGARY - The Fire Department is confident its ounce of prevention is responsible for the pound of cure this year. Despite a steadily growing population, the number of deaths from fires, fires and resulting damage are down substantially from last year. "We hope and trust that is the result of our prevention efforts," department spokeswoman Deb Bergeson said Thursday. "The chief's philosophy is there is no glory in fighting a fire that could have been prevented."

Source: Calgary Herald (http://www.firehall.com/refer.php?url=http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx?id=1c4d9ac2-ffac-437b-8987-48456bbb49e3&linkid=329&parent=news(headlines)&)

[five_alarm]

The City of Calgary's disaster services department has seen a near doubling of emergencies in just a year, according to its annual report to aldermen. And the potential threats from a SARS outbreak, a flu pandemic, terrorist activities or major fires still exist. "It's the complexity of dealing with families and or apartment buildings, senior citizen complexes, where there are a number of individuals that need to be taken care of," said fire Chief Wayne Morris. "It's part the size of the city -- we see more events that have greater impact." In 2003, Disaster Services received 167 calls and responded to 47 -- both numbers nearly 100% over the same figures in 2002, according to the report.

Source: Calgary Sun (http://www.firehall.com/refer.php?url=http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/CalgarySun/News/2004/03/04/369418.html&linkid=449&parent=news(headlines)&)

[five_alarm]

CALGARY, AB - City fire officials are alarmed at a recent string of severe blazes and a death toll that's almost equalled the fatal numbers from all of last year. In the first five months of 2006, three Calgarians have perished in fires while four died in blazes last year -- half of them in a double fatality tragedy. The first part of the year began slowly for city firefighters, but has since flared up menacingly in the form of multiple-house blazes (http://www.firehall.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7230).Source: canoe.ca (http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2006/06/03/1612916-sun.html)

[ABFF37]

It's true...we've been busy lately. I was at both the Rocky Ridge fire (the morning after during overhaul) and the Tuscany fire (first in rescue apparatus).

Those two fires alone resulted in about 6 houses fully lost and probably around 20 others suffering dammage. My guess would be about $4 or $5 million dollars in dammage between the two. Hopefully it does raise more public awareness, but hopefully it also opens up city halls eyes to the fact that this city definately needs MORE firefighters, MORE fire halls, and MORE apparatus to keep its citizens safe!

AB:eek:

[firefighter26]

this city definately needs MORE firefighters, MORE fire halls, and MORE apparatus to keep its citizens safe!

Just tell the brass to hire from the firehall.com talent pool.... you'd probably get enough guys (and gals..... oh yeah, and jude) off here to fill all the stations plus some!!

[bestcoast]

but hopefully it also opens up city halls eyes to the fact that this city definately needs MORE firefighters, MORE fire halls, and MORE apparatus to keep its citizens safe!

AB:eek:
Too bad it takes some big fire losses to make city hall sit up and take notice. All we are to them is an expensive insurance policy. Risk management at its finest!!..........BC...................

[ABFF37]

Too bad it takes some big fire losses to make city hall sit up and take notice. All we are to them is an expensive insurance policy. Risk management at its finest!!..........BC...................

You're right...unfortunately things like this seem to be the only thing that opens their eyes to see the true state of affairs in their city!

AB

[five_alarm]

CALGARY,AB - A former Calgary fire captain says the city doesn't have enough firefighters. Ron Battle says even though the city's population has grown dramatically, there has been no increase in the number of fire crews in 22 years. Battle warns unless something is done to bolster the department's ranks, it's only a matter of time before the shortage of personnel has tragic consequences. There are just under one-thousand active firefighters staffing the city's 32 fire stationsSource: 630ched.com (http://www.630ched.com/news/news_local.cfm?cat=7428872912&rem=40822&red=80187223aPBIny&wids=410&gi=1&gm=news_local.cfm)

Retired captian says department woefully understaffed: canoe.ca (http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2006/06/18/1640125.html)