Ottawa Fire Services

[southwheatland514]

A quick lowdown, there are 46 stations, 30 staffed with career members (4 of those outlying stations also have a volunteer contingent) and 16 volunteer stations.  

 

How do the Career and Volunteer staff work together? Do they train together often?  I like seeing volunteer staff integrated into a large department as it is not all that common and, if managed properly, could possibly work well.

[Guest]

 

How do the Career and Volunteer staff work together? Do they train together often?  I like seeing volunteer staff integrated into a large department as it is not all that common and, if managed properly, could possibly work well.

The rural and career work well together in emergency scenes.  There is some integrated training with volunteers and career, however, there is a defined area where only career units will respond.  Career units will back up volunteer units for serious calls, and on the fringes of the career areas, volunteers will respond as additional units.  Structure incidents get 3 pumps, 1 ladder and a District.  Depending on information, a rescue may also be assigned initially.  If the area is in an un-watered area covered by career, volunteers will staff 4 tankers that will respond.  The system works well for our specific needs.

[Guest]

Ladder 53 is a 2008 Spartan/Carl Thibault 1750/300/104 foot RK Ladder.

[Guest]

Rescue 53 is a 2009 Spartan/Eastway.  Rescue 53 graphics have since been applied to the body above the compartments.

[Guest]

Water Rescue 53 is a 2013 Ford F250 that tows a Zodiak rescue boat.

[Guest]

The volunteers at station 53 run Pump Tank 53, a 2010 Spartan/Carl Thibault 1250/2500.

[Guest]

The final truck at Station 53 is also run by the volunteers.  Squad 53 is used as a manpower unit.

[DaveYoung]

I'm really enjoying this Ottawa thread. What are the staffing levels on the pumps, ladders, and rescues? Thank you.

[Guest]

I'm really enjoying this Ottawa thread. What are the staffing levels on the pumps, ladders, and rescues? Thank you.

4 on a pump with a Captain in charge.  3 on ladders and rescues with a Lieutenant in charge, but if staffing allows, 4 on these rigs. Specialty vehicles are unmanned, but taken by the assigned crews when required.  Example, for a hazmat call, Ladder 24 goes out of service and the crew from that take Hazmat 24. The air tender is manned with a driver 24/7, and when manning allows, so is the rehab truck.  Chiefs drive themselves.

[Big Dave]

Great job, Ken.  Excellent photo coverage of Ottawa.  Thank you.

[DaveYoung]

4 on a pump with a Captain in charge.  3 on ladders and rescues with a Lieutenant in charge, but if staffing allows, 4 on these rigs. Specialty vehicles are unmanned, but taken by the assigned crews when required.  Example, for a hazmat call, Ladder 24 goes out of service and the crew from that take Hazmat 24. The air tender is manned with a driver 24/7, and when manning allows, so is the rehab truck.  Chiefs drive themselves.

Thank you, appreciate the information.

[jlg1875]

A policy on that has been completed.  The boards will say Ottawa, have the department crest on them, and there is a spot being left for individual stations to apply their station logo.  However, prior to any station logo being applied, it must be approved by management.  There are a list of specifications that must be followed in order to have the station crest approved.  These crests can be applied to all apparatus within that station, once approved.  This is a good thing for morale as it gives the stations a chance to design something that they can be proud of, to show their identity,  There have been several approved, and are starting to appear on rigs.

Thanks Ken, I agree 110% with you, just surprised that it's taken so long. I can understand the need for the individual station designs to be approved, but the city fire logo and name shouldn't have taken so long. IMHO the microscopic "Ottawa" on the crew cab doors should go and be replaced with larger lettering with the same font that's on the boards

[Guest]

Service Truck 23 is a 2012 Dodge dump truck.  Used as a transport truck for the shop, the dump body comes in handy to remove frozen fire hose!

[Guest]

Station 63 is a volunteer station located in Constance Bay.  Pump Tank 63 is a 2004 Spartan Gladiator/Carl Thibault 1250/2500.

[Guest]

Pump 73 is located in the village of Vars, in the far east end of the city.  The truck is a 2010 Spartan Gladiator/Carl Thibault 1250/2500.  Photo was shot at a public relations event that had over 15 fire vehicles in attendance.  Station 73 is a volunteer station.

[Guest]

Tanker 73 is a 2005 International 7400/Carl Thibault 1250/2500, here shown hard at work at the same public relations event.

[Guest]

Station 72 is in Navan, and has Tanker 72, a 2008 International/Carl Thibault 1250/2500

[Guest]

Dunrobin is home to Station 66 and Tanker 66, a 2004 International/Carl Thibault 1250/2500.

[Guest]

Tanker 92 is located in Osgoode Village, a volunteer manned station, and is a 2004 Freightliner/Almonte 1050/2500

[Guest]

Brush Tanker 83 is a 1986 International 4x4 with a 625 front mount and 1500 gallon tank.  The oldest vehicle still in the fire department's fleet, this vehicle is slated for replacement in 2015. Station 83 is a volunteer station in the Village of North Gower, in the city's south end.