Team Building
The women and men of DNVFRS are our greatest asset, and we’re proud of the work they do every day to keep everyone safe.
Building a diverse and inclusive team of dedicated professionals, helping them develop in their roles, and caring for their well-being, is our ultimate concern. Through our tri-municipal recruiting program, training and certification opportunities, and wellness programs, we are building a model workforce.
Training
To give the community the excellence they deserve, we provide comprehensive ongoing training to our crews. In 2018, we had a training budget of $389,415, which allowed us to provide 10,062 hours of specialized training to 126 men and women.
Specialized Training (Overview)
Each year, we provide specialized training in a number of fire and rescue disciplines: fire behavior, swiftwater rescue, high angle rope rescue, vehicle extrication, fire ground operations, wildland firefighting, and first medical responder.
These training sessions are delivered by our professionally certified instructors, and typically take place either at our dedicated training centre or at various locations in our response area.
Here is an overview of the specialized training we provided in 2018.
Specialized Training by Discipline (Top 5 disciplines)
Download all specialized training data
Foundational Skills Training (Overview)
In addition to the specialized firefighter training, firefighters also receive a significant amount of regular, on-the-job training. This training teaches foundation skills, such as ladder operations, traffic safety, radio communications, hose deployment, gas and electrical safety, and building construction.
Here is an overview of the foundational skills training we provided in 2018.
Foundational Skills Training by Subject (Top 5 subjects)
Download all foundational skill training data
New Training Facility
In early 2018, we began planning for a new Fire and Rescue Centre in Maplewood to replace the old Firehall #2 in Lynn Creek and the Fire Training Centre on St. Denis Avenue, as well as to centrally locate management and administrative staff from Firehall #1 in Lynn Valley.
Combining the fire station, training centre, and administrative functions into one new facility will improve fire response times, create operational efficiencies, and optimize the capital investment required to accommodate these functions over the long term.
We expect construction to begin in fall 2019, and last for about 18 to 24 months. The new centre should open in fall 2021.
Mental Health
Stress management and mental health care are at the forefront of our efforts to ensure staff are happy and healthy in their service to our community.
Our firefighters are trained to build psychological strength by taking part in the Resilience Minds program developed by the Canadian Mental Health Association. This program teaches our members how to mitigate the negative impact of occupational stress injuries through early recognition and intervention. They receive the tools they need to assist them in improving their psychological health and enhancing their quality of life.
In addition, the development of a Critical Incident Stress Management team provides our members with peer support when they have been exposed to distressing situations such as violence, trauma, or death.
Through post incident defusing and debriefing, the team reassures the members by providing understanding and resources to assist them through the post management
Diversity and Inclusion
Women and visible minorities represent a small percentage of the total DNVFRS staff. We continue to reach out to the community, and encourage everyone to consider the benefits that a career in the fire service offers.
Here are select events we held or attended in 2018.
- Camp Ignite — An annual 4 day camp for up to 20 girls between 16-18, who want to learn firefighting skills and techniques
- JIBC Workshop — At the Justice Institute of BC’s firefighting workshop, staff spoke with 34 women about a career in firefighting in the District
Work Experience
We enjoy giving local young people an inside look at the challenges and rewards of a career in firefighting.
In 2018, we offered 'behind the scenes' looks at a day in the life of DNVFRS:
- Bring Our Kids to Work Day — 18 children spent a day participating in firefighting demonstrations and activities
- Work experience — Several local high school students had the opportunity to experience a day in the life of a fire service member
