This is a timely email after responding to assist our Rocky View County partners at yesterday’s fire near Wildcat Hills.

Your fire department is working with Montane Forest Management from now until summer to produce and wildfire management plan for Townsite of Redwood Meadows, AB for responders to use in the event that a wildfire ever threatens our community.

The consultant will be driving through the townsite over the next few weeks assessing properties. He will not be entering your properties and will be driving a brown GMC 1/2 ton truck License Plate LAL 091.

Thanks everyone!
Rob Evans
Fire Chief

Spring is here!

It’s officially Spring - that means it’s time to tweak our driving habits. Here’s some tips to help you enjoy spring driving safely.

1. Don’t rush to take off your winter tires. They should be left on until daytime temperatures stay above 7 degrees Celsius.
2. We can (and will) still get some snowfall. The warm spring sun can melt ice and snow near the road and this melted water can freeze when the sun stops shining on it and the temperatures drop below zero. If you notice wet-looking roads and the temperatures have dropped below freezing, expect ice and slow down.
3. As the weather warms it will bring out motorcyclists and cyclists. Look out for these two-wheeled travelers enjoying our area and give them space to safely ride, when passing.
4. Warmer weather brings more people, children and pets outside. Slow down and pay careful attention in residential areas and school zones. Kids focused on other things won’t be paying much attention to traffic.
5. There are wide fluctuations in temperatures and freeze-thaw cycles at this time of year, which can cause potholes to form. Stay well back of the vehicle in front so you can give yourself more time to see potholes. Staying farther back from the vehicle in front of you will also reduce your chances of being hit by kicked-up rocks. Keeping your vision high is critical to safe driving.
6. Spring melting can cause localized flooding. If you encounter a flooded road, don’t try to cross the flooded section as the roadway under the water may be washed out. Instead, turn around and look for an  alternate route.
7. Spring wreaks havoc on gravel shoulders. They can be much softer than usual from all the melt water. Coupled with winter erosion, gullies can form on the shoulders. Use extra care if you’re pulling off the road or if you drop a wheel off on to the shoulder. Smoothly steer your vehicle back onto the pavement.
8. During the winter, sand and salt are applied to the local highways to increase traction on snowy roads. Residual sand acts as tiny ball bearings under tires causing a noticeable reduction in grip. When exiting off of a major road onto one less travelled, you may be driving from a road with good grip to one with very little grip as you encounter these sand-covered roads. Look where you want to go, slow down and expect the road to be slippery from sand.
9. Many animals are on the move as they forage for food with their young. Every year, motorists die or are seriously injured hitting animals or trying to swerve to avoid animals (and the animals rarely survive either). Slow down and be aware of your surroundings!
10. Driver distraction is a leading cause of traffic crashes. It is so important to remember to stay focused on the task of driving. If you must take a look at something on your phone, pull over first.

And finally, you can’t avoid it, if you can’t see it. Ensure your windshield washer fluid is topped up and your windshield is kept clean to ensure you can see everything (and everyone) around you.

Even though we’re moving out of the deep cold winter months, it’s still important to be mindful of fire safety!

Here are some important tips that can save you and your loved ones in case of fire.

1. Check your smoke and CO alarms: Working smoke detectors and CO alarms save lives. Test them at least twice per year. If battery powered, replace the batteries yearly. Smoke detectors and CO alarms expire after 10 years. Be sure to keep track of how old your alarm is and change it when needed.

2. Schedule a check-up for electrical wiring: Faulty electrical wiring can cause fire incidents. If you notice flickering light bulbs or sparking switches, have the lines checked by an expert as it might be time for replacement or repair.

Keep foot traffic away from electrical cords to avoid wiring damage and limit the use of extension cords as they may overheat the circuits. Large appliances such as refrigerators should have their own outlet.

3. Keep flammable items away from children: Candles, matches, lighters, butane and items alike should be stored away from children. Gasoline and gasoline fueled equipment should not be stored in the house.

4. Be alert in the kitchen: Stay mindful when cooking and don’t leave ovens, broilers, and stoves unattended. Keep towels or anything that can catch fire away from your stovetop. Always make sure the lid is available to cover the pan in case the pan catches fire.

5. Avoid smoking indoors: If you have a smoking room, place several deep and stable ashtrays on a sturdy surface. When emptying the ashtrays or throwing away cigarette butts and ashes, make sure that they have cooled and there are no remaining embers.

6. Keep emergency numbers visible and easily on hand: In addition to saving important emergency numbers on your phone, write them down and place them in a visible location in your home.  Be sure to include your address and home phone number for visiting guests.

7. Create and practice a fire escape plan at home: A well-rehearsed emergency exit plan greatly alleviates panic during an emergency. It takes two minutes for your house to be filled with toxic fumes from a fire: “Get low and go” when making an exit. Practice feeling the door and walls using the back of your hand in case there is fire in the next room. Designate a person to get elderly and young children out safely. Pick a meeting place to assemble afterward.

Many members of the community have asked about our call volumes in 2020 and how they were impacted by the pandemic, so we thought we would share this information broadly.

RMES volunteers responded to 257 calls for service in 2020. Our medical call volume was down compared to previous years, with only 37% of our calls in 2020 being medical in nature. This was in part because of the overall reduction in people being out and about due to the pandemic restrictions, but what also played a factor was the limiting of emergency services resources that went to specific medical calls over a large part of the year. This was an effort by Alberta Health Services to limit the risk of exposure to as few first responders as possible. Rest assured we're back to our normal response modes now and taking every precaution to keep you (and ourselves) safe in every way.

Rescues were our second-most-common call type last year at 30% of the total. Our area has seen prolific growth in popularity for recreation, especially during the pandemic, and that's part of the reason this category has stayed as high as it has. RMES crews have undertaken training with local and regional public safety specialists in order to be better prepared to answer this type of call, and in 2021 we'll be enhancing not only our training but our equipment to handle all kinds of special rescues.

Fires took up about 25% of our responses in 2020. Once again there was a less intense fire season than usual, but we can't let our guard down. In 2021, RMES will continue to promote fire safety and prevention and be leaders in preparedness and safety.

Hazardous materials calls counted for just over 2% of our totals, and include everything from spilled gasoline to odors of natural gas or other substances.

The remaining 6% of calls were 'other' or uncategorizable types. As usual, these were for situations like picking up debris from roadways, and general assistance calls.

In addition to all of the above calls, RMES crews still assembled for training as best as we could given the unique challenges the pandemic presented. Training sessions were delivered online for a large part of the year with members attending via videoconference. When it was safe to assemble in groups once again, the practical lessons based on those online training sessions were put into effect. Still, all of RMES was and is following the public health guidelines and is using best practices in all our operations, both internally and in the public.

RMES members contributed a total of 12,994 hours of service in 2020. As always, we thank our friends and families for supporting us and understanding that even in a year as unique as 2020 was, our commitment can't diminish.

We continue to advocate to Alberta Health Services to have RMES firefighters given priority vaccinations against COVID-19, like our other first responder partners, to ensure they are kept as safe as possible in caring for our community.

A heartfelt THANK YOU to our community for your ongoing support. It’s an honour and privilege to serve you and your families.

Happy 2021!

A new year is finally here.  Here’s some things you can do to help prepare for a happy, healthy, and safe new year.

Service Your Fire Extinguishers: Your number one line of defense in the case of a fire are portable fire extinguishers  Be sure that you have extinguishers installed adequately throughout your property as required by fire code. Just as importantly, make sure  your fire extinguishers are serviced, properly maintained and everyone in the house knows how to use them.  Remember to PASS: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the trigger and Sweep slowly side to side.

Check Up on Smoke and CO Detectors: Make sure you have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and change the batteries, as needed.

Practice an Escape Plan: Does your family have an escape plan?  Have you practiced it recently? Make sure everyone knows the route out of the house in the event of an emergency (and an alternate route if that route is blocked), the meet up place, and that they should never, ever come back in the house once they’re out.

What happens when someone is hurt? It’s a good time of year to have a family discussion about what you’re going to do if someone in the house is hurt or not feeling well, just in case.  If an adult isn’t feeling well or acting "funny", kids need to know they can dial 9-1-1 and be a big help in getting first responders there quickly.

Until next month, stay safe.  And, if you see the big red trucks coming with the lights flashing, pull over and stop, so we can get to someone in need as quickly, and safety, as possible!