Unfortunately CFD will probably never deploy anything as in-depth as a FDNY Squad company in the city. The amount of disciplines/training that the FDNY squad's cover and amount of different tool and equipment on each Squad and second piece is lot and its layered or redundant protection. It would be like CFD combining a Engine, Rescue, Aquatics unit, half a Ladder and a Hazmat worth of training and most tools of those units into a Squad/Second Piece. Calgary just does not have the population/density or really the call volume for such a unit.
CFD apparatus committee did look hard into PUC Pumpers, but the issue it sounded like was winter ops/no Top-mount enclosed option and how small the pump actually was - limited inlets and outlets and could only pump max 1500 gpm single stage. Now that was YEARS ago, Pierce has changed significantly and CFD has fallen out of love with SMEAL. With Lethbridge, Airdrie, Red Deer and Strathmore all having Pierce Top-mount enclosed pumps, we may see CFD starting to get some too.
It would be cool to see CFD deploy a Bush Buggy/MRU unit to a station like 12,22,32. Like a LAFD fast response, or Tender 25 and old Tender 21 but in a pickup truck that has limited firefighting capabilities but can respond to grass/trash/encampment fires, medical calls, MINOR MVC's and back-up any Engine or first alarm response on alarms calls and structure fires
It's sad to see that MRU's are only to respond to medical calls - like it makes sense, but they could be useful on alarms calls and fire calls in the core too
The city just needs to really lean into the standardization, and staffing moves they're hoping for. Which is easy for me to say, as I sit behind a computer with 0 bars on my shoulders, and 0 experience with operations. My dream for the CFD in the future would consist of this.
44 Engine Companies: To be placed in stations 1-45. (This includes Inglewoods new Stn.3) *More about Stn13 at the bottom* They would all be identical down to every last detail. Again, standardize. Staffed with 5 ffs. No real take on Engine builds, but I like Spartan/Smeal and I like Pierce. Basically run them how we do now, and have a Top Mount enclosed with a two stage pump. The way CFD is moving, seems like they'd probably be Pierce.
11 Ladder Companies: To be placed in various areas of the city, as the dept sees fit. All go with the same model. Just like Ladder 1, Pierce 107ft, straight stick, no Pumps. Run with 4 ffs, 2 jump seats. Also help delegate the responsibilities and equipment that our rescue units carry right now.
4 Tower Ladder Companies: To be placed in various areas around the city, as the dept sees fit. All go with the same model. Just like Tower 19, Pierce 100ft, Aerial platform, no Pumps. Run with 4 ff's, 2 jump seats. Along with serving the responsibility of carrying rescue gear, it also would be designed to assist with higher acuity calls, such as being attached on a 2nd or 3rd alarm assignment. This also stems into specialties like TRT, where the Towers can offer that platform for stokes, repel and aerial ops. Last big difference, Towers aren't crossed with Bush Buggies. With the addition of 3 Ladders in this fleet, it would offset the requirements of cross-staffing between 31TW/BB, 19TW/BB and 25TW/TE. Only having Ladders crossed would allow for Towers to be free to offer their additional services all the time.
3-4 Technical (Heavy) Rescue Companies: Placed at Stn.16, Stn.17, Stn.39 (and Stn.32). Hall wise, this is a good place because all three (or four) are large halls, with enough space for training and equipment storage. Furthermore, all halls aren't too busy, and have great access to major roadways. 16 and 17 are close to downtown, but don't get sucked into the vortex all too often.
32 and 39 are the outliers, and offer support to the areas further from the core. These units would be larger, walk-in Pierce rescues, and look quite similar to FDNYs Rescue companies. As much as CFD wants to make their rigs smaller, I think there is some real advantages to having all their gear on the truck. Assignments would be the same, and staffed with 4-6 firefighters depending on staffing.
Rescues would stop being assigned on alarms and MVCs. However, they would still be sent on all structure fire cards, major MVCs, train/plane events and TRT calls. Anything high acuity and can't be handled by the equipment on the Ladders or Engines.
2 Technical Rescue Support Companies: Smaller units, placed in 16 and 17 (the two TRT HQ halls) They would be cross-staffed with the Engine, and would run just like the TRS now. They would be smaller, single axel units and would carry anything that the rescue couldn't (including the lumber) Maybe even Mack trucks like FDNYs Collapse Rescues and High Rises.
3 Hazmat Companies: Keep them exactly how they are right now. CFD seems to love how hazmat is run, and the firefighters are happy with it.
2 Air-Light/Rehab Support Companies: These would be single axel Freightliners that serve two purposes. Carry SCBA bottles and bring the tables and Gatorade for rehab. No fancy refiller, no compressor or generator, no additional, crazy equipment. Take a page from Toronto Fire, and how they run their Air Lights. Cab with only two seats. Get rid of the High Rise, it doesn't serve it's purpose anymore.
2 Medical Response Units: Exactly how they are now. Smaller, Tahoe/Suburban type units, two firefighers, only medical gear. Keep them in the core, let the engines take their alarms, fires and MVC calls that they should be doing. 22 and 12 could also use them, but from what I've heard on the floor, they are handling it well.
2 Fire Response Paramedics: Ford F-350 or Dodge 1500 ambulances. Smaller, more maneuverable, still carries all the required gear. Keep them on the same call assignments, still a single medic, not much to change even hall-wise (although 18 was a good fit). Apparatus wise, similar to the FDNY or LACoFD for apparatus builds.
-2 FRP ATV's (or Gators) would be the same. Although, I would get rid of the 40ft trailer at 20, and have both ATV's independently on their own little trailers. The big Mass Casualty trailer could be parked at HQ beside the Mobile Command, and pulled by a Haz Tech maybe. The Medic at 20 said lots of FRP's will go cold with the big trailer, even to hot calls, because it's so hard to pull. So it should be a little flatdeck with the ATV and that's all the FRP's pull.
3 Tender Companies: These would be staffed with two ff's, and be a complete reversal of what we've had. Get rid of all the lockers, heavy tools and unneeded equipment. All Tenders need to do are carry water, and more water. The new Tender at 21 is a good example of this, as it carries the least amount of equipment and has the largest tank, even though it's the smallest of the Tenders. We don't need the type of Tenders that 25 has and 21/32 used to have.
5 Bush Buggies: Same thing as now, two ff's, crossed with only Ladders though. However, get rid of the current BB style. The trucks are so heavy that they are hard to offroad on (which is the whole point) Duallies are notorius for getting stuck in the mud, and overall they don't truly serve their purpose. I would want to see them go with the 4x4 lifted bush buggies. 4 tires, lifted well off the ground, nothing but a tank, a hose and a couple extra tools. Keep em light, keep em mobile, keep em full of water.
3 Boat Tows/Jet Boats: Same running order, staffing, all that. Just go with the current plan of trucks that look like the Special Events, with all the equipment roll-up lockers in the back. Can even throw a Zodiac up top if need be.
-1 Aquatic Rescue stays the same, and assists with dive rescue whereas BT's due surface rescues. Although same running assignments as they do now.
IV's, DC's, HT's and IC's can all stay the same, no real need to change what ain't broke here.
Now here's where I change it up a bit:
1 Rapid Response Unit: This would be a two-man unit, and basically be a multi-purpose unit. It would have a tank on board so it could be sent out as a 6th Bush Buggy. It would have more locker space so it could carry all the same gear as the MRU. And it would be normal height (not lifted) so it can go into parkades and retire the old parkade unit. Basically a fully staffed, spare unit that can act as a 6th bush buggy, 3rd MRU, 4th boat tow (if need be) and the parkade.
Even better, throw it at 16 and have them crossed with the Recovery. Gives reason to staff both units as full time, lots of extra trailers such as generators or the fan that it can tow. And good access to back up BBs on wildland calls, quick runs into downtown for parkade events, and also quick to run downtown or over to 17th ave (East side) to back up 1 and 2, or act in place of 12 MRU if it's needed. (Like if 12 is all out at a building fire, maybe squad a engine and the Rapid to 12 so the rapid can pick up the medicals, and leave the squaded engine for all the other calls.
5 Squad Companies: These would be identical to the Engines, same tools, configurations and customizations (Top mount/2 stage) Also have 5 ffs. The two differences would be coverage and pilot programs. Coverage wise, Squads are the first ones to get moved during coverage assigments, just like how the 300s are used.
For pilot programs, the Squads would be the ones to feature them. Such as the blue lights, smooth bore deck gun or 360 cameras. These end up getting tested out in busy halls anyway, might as well be one with two Engines (or engine/squad in this case) That way if something goes wrong, there's going to be a second engine coming as backup anyways.
These trucks could also be the ones to feature the different liveries CFD goes with, such as the Canada 150 or the Indigenous wrap. That way more of the public can see them, as the Squads would be moving around so much anyways. Just aesthetically, I would like every Engine in the city to be identical. (On a side note, I would like to see a variation of CFD wraps. Not so say that the 150 isn't cool, but it was almost 7 years ago now. Speaking completely personally, I wouldn't mind seeing a Canada Wrap, an Indigenous Wrap, a Flames/Stampeders Wrap and then a couple others like Breast Cancer Awareness or Gay/LGBTQ Pride. As I know other major cities in Canada and North America have featured those before)
Overall, this is the plan I've been mulling over. Again, this is based on my personal opinion, mixed in with the opinions I've heard from guys on the floor. This would also be done with an unlimited budget, and no concern for the most "economical" choices. This would just be my dream for the CFD.
Lastly, any ideas about Station 13? It must be getting a permanent hall at some point, but where could you even put it? Being such a low number, it should be somewhat close to the core, but there really isn't much room around. Love to hear some ideas!
Sorry for such a long reply too haha. Been a while since I've chimed in on here, kinda let a lot out haha!
