Emergency Services Facts & Statistics

Key Facts

Overtime Costs 2024

$3.2M (highest per capita in Alberta)

  • Dynamic staffing has reduced the money spent on overtime by more than $1 million between January and July this year.
  • In 2024, there were 1,920 overtime shifts. In 2025, to date, there have been 160 overtime shifts.
  • Dynamic staffing has been used 85 times.
Competitive Pay (Per Collective Agreement)
  • First-Class Firefighter: $109,853
  • Captain: $134,020
  • Platoon Chief: $148,301
  • OT is paid at double time
On Scene
  • City of Red Deer has an established target of arriving within 10 minutes, 90% of the time for all reported structure fires.
    • This target aligns with the High Intensity Residential Fire (HIRF) standard, which is a building code requirement that has guided The City’s established target of 10 minutes, 90% of the time.
  • Alberta Health Services target response time for ambulance (emergency medical response) is 12 minutes. (City has a contract with Alberta Health Services to deliver ambulance until September 2026)
  • From January 1 to July 31, 2025, the average response time was approximately 9 minutes and 50 seconds for all call categories (excluding AHS ambulance response).
  • From January 1 to July 31, the average response time for structure fires was approximately 6 minutes and 48 seconds
Staffing Levels
  • Target staffing level per shift is 31 employees.
  • 17 employees respond to all reported structure fires.
  • Fire Calls: 4+ firefighters respond to all fire calls (sometimes on 2 trucks instead of 1).
  • Medical Calls: Single engine responds with ambulance, as needed.
Tax Impact
  • Every $1.5 million added to the budget equals about a 1% property tax increase. Reversing Dynamic Staffing would result in additional tax increases over and above what is already expected, for Emergency Services alone - without increasing service levels.
  • Emergency Services currently makes up 17% of The City’s budget, and approximately 88% (2024) of the department’s budget is salary funding.
Relief Factor
  • Emergency Services has built in a relief factor, which is the extra staff needed to cover vacations, sick time, and other absences so the required number of people are always on duty.
  • Red Deer operates with a 35% relief factor - one of the highest in the province.
Staffing Growth
  • Since 2022, The City has added 32 new full-time employees in Emergency Services.
  • In 2025, up to 12 temporary paramedics were also approved to cover leaves (6 hired to date).
Community Growth vs. Staffing
  • Red Deer’s population has grown 35% since 2003, while Emergency Services staffing has grown 73%, more than double the rate of population growth.
Call Volumes (Jan through July 2025)
  • Total: 15,594 calls.
  • Alberta Health Services (Ambulance) EMS: 11,952 (77%).
  • Fire Related Calls: 3,642 (23%).
    • Of the 3,642, 58% are medical, alarms 19%, outside fires 9%, vehicle collisions 5%.
    • Structure fires: 2% of all fire related calls

Monthly Statistics: Operational Adjustments 

Information about operational adjustments and staffing levels at Station #2 between January and June 30, highlighting periods of reduced capacity, equipment outages, and dynamic staffing changes.

Q2 Operational Adjustments

Operational Adjustments

Between April 1 and June 30 Station #2 operated at full capacity 81% of the time (148/182 Shifts).  
 
The following operational adjustments occurred: 

  • Station #2 was fully closed 0 time (Out of Service Ambulance and Fire Engine)  
    • When Station #2 is closed, we have 17 people responding to fire calls from the other 4 operational stations. 
  • The Fire Truck (Engine 2) was taken out of service 7 additional times (3 total) with the ambulance (Medic 2) continuing to operate at Station #2. 
  • Station #2 operated with 2 firefighters instead of 4 on the Fire Truck 22 times. 
  • Station #2 operated with 3 firefighters instead of 4 on the Fire Truck 5 times.
  • Station #2 operated at full capacity 81% of the time (148/182 Shifts) 

Dynamic Staffing: By the Numbers 

The chart below outlines the number of shifts less than where less than 31 staff were employed: 

Number (#) of Times under 31 Personnel / Shift     April May June
Engine 2 did NOT run (Ambulance Only Running)  3
Engine 2 operated at Station 2 with 2 firefighter/medics   5 7 10
Engine 2 operated at Station 2 with 3 firefighter/medics  2 2 1
Station 2 operated at full staffing complement  83% 
(50/60 shifts) 
84% 
(52/62 shifts) 
77% 
(46/60 shifts) 
  TOTAL: 142/182 (81%) 
Q1 Operational Adjustments

Operational Adjustments

Between January 1 and March 31 Station #2 operated at full capacity 93% of the time (166.5/180 Shifts).  
 
The following operational adjustments occurred: 

  • Station #2 was fully closed 1 time (Out of Service Ambulance and Fire Engine)  
    • When Station #2 is closed, we have 17 people responding to fire calls from the other 4 operational stations. 
  • The Fire Truck (Engine 2) was taken out of service 2 additional times (3 total) with the ambulance (Medic 2) continuing to operate at Station #2. 
  • The ambulance (Medic 2) was taken out of service 4.5 times to support the staffing of Engine 2. 
  • Station #2 operated with 2 firefighters instead of 4 on the Fire Truck 8 times. 
  • Station #2 operated with 3 firefighters instead of 4 on the Fire Truck for half a shift (0.5 times). 
  • Station #2 operated at full capacity 93% of the time (166.5/180 Shifts) 

Dynamic Staffing: By the Numbers 

The chart below outlines the number of shifts less than where less than 31 staff were employed: 

Number (#) of Times under 31 Personnel / Shift     January February  March
Engine 2 did NOT run (Ambulance Only Running)   1 
Engine 2 operated at Station 2 with 2 firefighter/medics   3 
Engine 2 operated at Station 2 with 3 firefighter/medics  0.5 
Station 2 operated at full staffing complement  94% 
(58/62 shifts) 
96% 
(54/56 shifts) 
88% 
(54.5/62 shifts) 
  TOTAL: 166.5/180 (93%)