2024 Surrey Fire Service Annual Report

Annual Report 2024

Fire Services

Land Acknowledgement We acknowledge that Surrey Fire Services provides services on the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Coast Salish people including the Katzie, Kwantlen, and Semiahmoo First Nations. We commit to expanding our knowledge and understanding of these territories and its people.

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Message from the Fire Chief

The City of Surrey is the second-largest city in British Columbia and the 10th largest in Canada. Surrey continues to be one of the fastest-growing cities in the province and in the country, welcoming thousands of new residents each month. A city with this kind of major growth has many opportunities and challenges. Surrey Fire Services manages these challenges with great commitment by using a creative, strategic approach that emphasizes safety, embraces best practices, data-informed policymaking, long-range planning and cooperation between departments and agencies.

Our initiatives include:

J Reducing and preventing public safety risks by following a Community Risk Reduction approach.

J Reducing residential fires and casualties through the HomeSafe program.

J Reducing residential fires at distressed or abandoned properties.

J Maintaining emergency plans for mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

J Providing staff with a preventative health screening program to educate and reduce the risk of various occupational illnesses.

J Reducing duplication in vehicle collision responses through cooperation with the Surrey Police.

J Supporting collision reduction efforts in partnership with the City of Surrey’s Transportation Engineering Department. J Providing support to initiatives such as the Second Responder Program, designed to reduce fatal opioid overdose in residences.

J Promote equity, diversity and inclusion in our recruitment.

With the continued support from Mayor and Council, Surrey Fire Services is able to provide the needed additional resources that match the city’s growing needs; and implement innovative solutions that enhance our services and improve operational efficiency.

Larry Thomas, Fire Chief

2 CITY OF SURREY

Contents

Department Overview

5

Operations Division

13

Suppression Branch

14

Training Branch

24

Prevention Branch

28

Community Risk Reduction

35

Communications & IT

43

Support Division

53

Administration Support

54

Operations Support

55

Mechanical Division

59

Surrey Emergency Program

63

Human Resources

69

Budget Information

79

Surrey Fire Services prides itself on its professional, forward-thinking and diverse approach to community safety and firefighting

4 CITY OF SURREY

Department Overview

Surrey Fire Services is a composite department consisting of 408 career firefighters and 12 paid-on-call members, operating out of 15 fire halls. Surrey fire crews are the first on scene at residential and commercial structure fires, motor vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, hazardous material incidents and technical rescue calls. The department prides itself on its professional, forward-thinking and diverse approach to community safety and firefighting.

The department delivers fire suppression and emergency medical services, along with various other public safety and hazard mitigation community services, to an estimated 684,768 residents in an area that spans approximately 316 square kilometres. Within the boundaries of Surrey are single and multi-family residential units, residential/office high-rises, retail and commercial occupancies, light and heavy industry, hotels, a regional hospital, institutional buildings, numerous convalescent and assisted living facilities, and open space areas. Large port facilities and rail yards are located in the north along the Fraser River and regions of agricultural land reserve, many with active farming taking place, occupying the southeastern corner. The two major highways in the province travel through Surrey, connecting the Metro Vancouver region with the rest of the province; as well as border crossings between the United States and Canada.

Mission Surrey Fire Services is dedicated to protecting life, property, and the environment by providing efficient and timely services for public safety. Services include emergency response, emergency planning, fire prevention, regulatory compliance, and community risk reduction. Goals J Provide a timely response for all services through a highly trained, skilled, and efficient workforce. J Reduce the incidence of injury, loss of life, and property damage by providing public education programs, fire cause investigation, and prevention services to secure public safety and code compliance. J Conform to government acts, regulations, City bylaws, and policies thereby mitigating liabilities and losses to the City’s assets attributed to personal, property and/or environmental litigations. J Be responsive to local and global economics, resulting in a service model that reflects the needs of the community we serve and the changing technologies that influence cost-effective delivery of services to recognized standards. J Acknowledge and seek to balance the interests of private and corporate clients, employees, suppliers and the public at large, tailored to their social, cultural and economic characteristics. J Maintain the highest standards of integrity in the conduct of all phases of the Fire Service business.

6 CITY OF SURREY

Administration Department oversight provided by the Fire Chief, four Deputy Chiefs, one Assistant Deputy Chief, five Assistant Chiefs, two exempt Managers, and four exempt staff. Communications 20 full-time and 17 casual communications operators provide dispatch services to over 50 jurisdictions across BC. Operations Division

Suppression Branch Twenty four fire companies (group of firefighters organized as a team, led by a fire officer, and equipped to perform operational functions), Platoon and Battalion supervision of the 408 suppression personnel of various ranks who respond to a wide variety of fire, rescue, and medical emergencies.

Training Branch Four full-time Training Officers coordinate the certification, competency, and skills maintenance training for the department. Ninety Relief Training Officers from the Suppression Branch deliver training to the staff.

Prevention Branch Ten Inspector/Investigator staff conduct fire and life safety code inspections, code enforcement and fire investigations. Two Community Risk Reduction officers assigned to the Community Property Safety Team.

Mechanical Division

Four Emergency Vehicle Technicians are responsible for fire apparatus and equipment maintenance and repairs.

Support Division

Six clerks supporting administrative and logistical needs and three technicians supporting communications and fire-specific software.

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW 7

COMMUNITY

VOLUNTEERS

COMMUNITY

ENGAGEMENT

Shelley Morris

DEPUTY CHIEF

ENGAGEMENT

COORDINATOR

EMERGENCY PLANNING

DIVERSITY/ RECRUITMENT

DISPATCH

SUPERVISORS

DISPATCHERS

Shannon Harris

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

CRR

OFFICERS

PREVENTION / IT SERVICES

COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION Jerry Siggs

Jason Cairney

DEPUTY CHIEF

ASSISTANT CHIEF

ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

Shristee Kumar

PREVENTION OFFICERS

ASSISTANT CHIEF PREVENTION Darren Major

EMERGENCY PLANNING COORDINATOR

ADMINISTRATION Ben Dirksen

FLEET / GARAGE MANAGER Keith Sharp

CHIEFS C/D CHIEFS A/B MECHANICS OFFICERS

DEPUTY CHIEF

ASSISTANT CHIEF TRAINING Mark Seter

TRAINING

OPERATIONS / TRAINING

Rob Aldcorn

DEPUTY CHIEF

FIRE CHIEF

Larry Thomas

ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR Errin Young

OPERATIONAL SUPPORT ANALYST Lakhveer Aulakh ASSISTANT DEPUTY CHIEF OPERATIONS Richard Bodnark

BATTALION

ASSISTANT CHIEF OPERATIONS

Greg McRobbie

PLATOON CAPTAINS

SUPPRESSION STAFF

ANALYST

PLANNING

STRATEGIC

Chris Biantoro

ASSISTANT CHIEF OPERATIONS

Mike McNamara BATTALION

SUPPORT STAFF

ASSISTANT

FINANCE MANAGER Pierre Robinson

MAIL

ROOM

TO THE FIRE CHIEF

ROOM

STOCK

CLERKS

FINANCE

8 CITY OF SURREY

2024 Accomplishment Highlights:

J With Mayor and Council support, hired 22 additional staff to support the growing community demands for public safety.

J Implemented the 24-hour shift trial for suppression staff.

J Negotiated with Metro Vancouver Regional District, the Province and TELUS to achieve a Surrey specific Next Generation 9-1-1 Local Governing Authority Agreement. J Embarked on a multi-modal communication strategy to deliver fire service career information to the South Asian community to encourage a diverse pool of firefighter applicants. J Mayor and Council endorsed the Fire Service 10 Year Infrastructure Plan to address fire hall capacity to meet the current and future needs for fire service growth.

J Increased staffing in the South Surrey area by adding a new rescue truck based out of Hall 13.

J Delivered 26 workshops designed to support and promote a career in the Fire Service.

J Conducted over 12,700 smoke alarm functionality verifications, with a rate of 62.9% working smoke alarms at residential fires. J Hosted a successful public open house event at all our firehalls to provide fire prevention education and meaningful interactions with the firefighters. J Partnered with Surrey Food Bank and Surrey Christmas Bureau to collect food hampers and toys for low income families and children in need. J Created a database of residential properties containing energy storage systems such as: photovoltaic solar panel systems and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to ensure firefighter safety when responding to incidents at these locations. J Worked with the City of Surrey Filming Department to create an application guideline for fireworks, special effects and pyrotechnics. This provides the filming industry with standardized guidelines for fire safety when filming in the city. J Expanded our employee wellness program to include cardiovascular testing and blood chemistry screening together with cancer education for all staff. J Collaborated with the Planning and Development and Social Infrastructure Departments to develop a Temporary Winter Sheltering Application Guideline. The guideline has been effective in providing applicants with clear communication on the application process as well as the regulatory, technical and operational requirements that provide a consistent level of fire and life safety within the shelter spaces.

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW 9

2015–2024 Increase in Population Effects to Incident Response

Population

2015

2024

Increase

% Change

531921

684768

152847

29%

Incident Type

2015

2024

Increase

% Change

Overall Incidents

36171

40204

4033

11%

Fire Incidents

2416

2320

-96

-4%

Medical Incidents

22368

21991

-377

-2%

Other Incidents *

11387

15893

4506

40%

* Includes: Alarms, Motor Vehicle Incidents, Rescues, Hazmat, Assists, Emergency Response

90th Percentile Travel Time to Incident

10:05

9:22

8:38

7:55

7:12

6:29

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Medical Travel Times

Fire/Other Travel Times

10 CITY OF SURREY

Response Type

Average Travel Time

Medical Travel Times

4:15

Fire/Other Travel Times

5:16

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT |  11

Safeguarding our residents, visitors, and general economic welfare

12 CITY OF SURREY

Operations Division

Operations is the largest division and is comprised of three branches:

J Suppression Branch

J Training Branch

J Prevention Branch

Suppression Branch The Surrey Fire Services Suppression Branch provides the frontline response whose primary goal is to protect the lives and property of residents and visitors in Surrey. This is accomplished through the delivery of fire suppression operations and emergency medical services provided by 24 staffed apparatus at 15 fire halls strategically located throughout the city. Additionally, the Suppression Branch provides first responder services for motor vehicle accidents, hazardous materials, technical rescue and public assistance requests. Suppression Branch personnel conduct fire and life safety inspections, participate in public events and engage in regular training to always ensure a high level of proficiency.

FIRE CHIEF

DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF

ASSISTANT DEPUTY CHIEF

ASSISTANT CHIEF A/B SHIFTS

ASSISTANT CHIEF C/D SHIFTS

BATTALION CHIEF

BATTALION CHIEF

PLATOON CAPTAINS SUPPRESSION STAFF

PLATOON CAPTAINS SUPPRESSION STAFF

14 CITY OF SURREY

2025 Initiatives

J Increase staff on an existing rescue apparatus in Newton to enhance response capacity. J Initiate and award contracts to purchase new and replacement apparatus. J Develop comprehensive policies, education programs, and training to address the hazards associated with lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicles, photovoltaic power supplies and Building Energy Storage Systems. J Enhance the Fire Service Operational Health and Safety Program and coordinate with staff to streamline the City’s Certificate of Recognition (CoR) audit process. J Assess infrastructure and plan space requirements to accommodate increased staff and equipment to ensure optimal response coverage. J Include a Fire Service component in the City’s Developer Cost Charge bylaw. J Improve documentation of secondary suites visited in the course of our responses and ensure effective collaboration with Planning and Development and Bylaw departments.

Targets & Measures

J Rate of time loss injuries per 1000 incidents.

J Fire Officer Dashboard score - maintain consistency for Key Performance Indicators (KPI) throughout all shifts.

J Capital replacement model that projects timely purchasing and replacement of equipment.

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | OPERATIONS DIVISION 15

2024 Fire Hall Incident Counts North-end halls continue to be busier due to City Centre growth and increased density. The increased response demands are being supported with the creation of a Hall 3 response area serviced by Engine 3. Collectively Halls 2, 3 and 4 offer depth of coverage for service to the City Centre neighbourhood. Workload in the Newton area will be supported with the addition of frontline staff in service at Hall 10.

4,495

7,984

Fraser River

HALL 4

810

HALL 2/3

3,898

3,898

HALL 5

HALL 6

HALL 1

1,201

4,584

1,792

HALL 18

2,460

HALL 10

1,741

1,652

HALL 15

HALL 9

HALL 8

HALL 11

1,538

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HALL 17

816

1,029

2,095

HALL 12

HALL 14

HALL 13

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Emergency Responses 2024

Annual Incident Volume

10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000 45,000

40,204

38,998

37,457

37,315

23,662

Incident Count

0 5,000

2020

2021

2022 Year

2023

2024

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | OPERATIONS DIVISION 17

2024 Incident Volumes by Day of Week

Sat

6,009

Fri

6,006

Thu

5,843

Wed

5,599

Tue

5,645

Mon

5,498

Sun

5,604

5,200 5,300 5,400 5,500 5,600 5,700 5,800 5,900 6,000 6,100

Incident Count

On Fridays, the peak of activity occurs between 11am and 11pm, with the highest demand typically observed around dinnertime. The staffing at the dispatch centre aligns with the hourly call volume, ensuring a sufficient number of operators are on duty during busy hours.

2024 Incident Volume by Hour of Day

1,472

22

1,764

1,963

20

2,057

2,135 2,144

18

2,299

16

2,246

2,210 2,202

14

2,099

12

2,055

1,997

10

1,866

1,777

Hour of Day

8

1,706

1,437

6

1,159

853

4

765

806

2

881

1,003

0

1,308

18 CITY OF SURREY

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

0

Incident Count

Top 10 Non-Medical Calls

Carbon Monoxide Alarms Structure Fire - Possible

290 283

Brush/Grass Fire Alarms - High Rise

384 373

Alarms Ringing - Multi-Residential/Commercial Lift Assist Assist Call Burning Complaint Alarms - Single Family Residential Misc/Other/Special/Not Listed

871

1,229

1,291

1,434

2,156

3,210

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500

Incident Count

Top 10 Medical Calls

Motor Vehicle Accident - No Injuries Unconscious/Faint (Non-Trauma) Overdose Unknown Problem Lift Assist Sick Person Motor Vehicle Accident - Injuries Convulsions/Seizures

839

1,063

1,242

1,983

2,025

2,382

2,441

2,886

Breathing Problems Chest Pains

2,940

3,301

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500

Incident Count

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | OPERATIONS DIVISION 19

2024 Medical Calls by Acuity

Patient Condition

Colour

Immediately life threatening (Eg. cardiac arrest)

Purple

MEDICAL RED-BLS

MEDICAL ORANGE

MEDICAL RED

Urgent/ Potentially serious, but not immediately life threatening (Eg. abdominal pain) Immediately life threatening or time critical (Eg. chest pain) BLS-Basic Life Support

2,065

MEDICAL YELLOW

Red Red-BLS

681

16,061

1

Orange

1,265

1,919

TOTAL 21,992

Non-urgent (not serious or life threatening) (Eg. sprained ankle)

MEDICAL OTHER

MEDICAL PURPLE

Yellow

Medical responses not captured by the categories above

Grey

Structure Fire Dispatches

Structure Fire - Residential

186

Structure Fire - Possible

283

Structure Fire - Hi-Rise

23

Structure Fire - Commercial

124

Dispatch Incident Type

Structure Fire - Barn

6

0

50 100 150 200 250 300

Incident Count

20 CITY OF SURREY

Structure Fires by Hall Area

16

47

Fraser River

HALL 4

4

HALL 2/3

14

20

HALL 5

HALL 6

HALL 1

8

26

6

HALL 18

5

HALL 10

11

16

HALL 15

HALL 9

HALL 8

HALL 11

5

B

a

d

y

u

M

HALL 17

5

2

10

HALL 12

HALL 14

HALL 13

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SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | OPERATIONS DIVISION 21

m o o

B a

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Top 10 Intersections for Collisions Ranked intersections based on collision count over a five-year period. The five-year trend indicates whether the count of collisions at each intersection increased or decreased over this period.

Five Year Total Collisions

Five Year Rank

Five Year Trend

Intersection

88 AVE _ KING GEORGE BLVD

123

1

SOUTH FRASER PERIMETER RD _ 104 AVE

100

2

152 ST _ FRASER HWY

99

3

152 ST _ 64 AVE

96

4

96 AVE _ FRASER HWY

90

5

176 ST _ FRASER HWY

83

6

72 AVE _ KING GEORGE BLVD

82

7

128 ST _ 96 AVE

74

8

88 AVE _ 140 ST

70

9

140 ST _ FRASER HWY

69

10

2024 Motor Vehicle Incidents

4,720

2,864

1,056

301

62

Total Dispatched MVA Incidents

MVA No Injuries

MVA Injuries

MVA Pedestrian Struck

Rescue MVA

22 CITY OF SURREY

MVA (Motor Vehicle Accidents)

2024 Hazmat Incidents

396

166

61

47

Total Dispatched Gas Leak/Smell

Fuel Spill

Hazmat

2024 Reportable Structure Fires

All fires that cause damage to property, injuries or fatalities, or which require fire department resources to suppress must be reported. The terms first alarm, second alarm, and third alarm fire refer to escalating levels of fire response, indicating the severity of the incident and the amount of resources needed. The higher the alarm level, the more personnel, equipment, and command resources are dispatched.

217

197

20

0

Total Reportable Structure Fires

First Alarm Fires

Second Alarm Fires

Third Alarm Fires

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | OPERATIONS DIVISION 23

Training Branch The Training Branch of Surrey Fire Services provides staff with continuous operational training and skills development, ensuring the safe and effective delivery of department services.

DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF

ASSISTANT CHIEF

TRAINING OFFICERS

FIRE CHIEF

Leveraging technology for content development and blended in-person/online delivery platforms

24 CITY OF SURREY

&

Specialty/Relief Training Officers

A pool of approximately 90 training officers instructs students in medical first responder, auto extrication, emergency vehicle operation, hazardous materials and technical rescue skills. Medical First Responder license renewal and skills refresher training 120 Recertifications/year More than 400 First Responders have refreshed their certification to meet recent scope of practice changes implemented by the Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board. FIRST RESPONDER

Initiatives & Objectives Succession planning - Ensure the appropriate number of Medical First Responders, Fire Officers, Emergency Vehicle Operators, Firefighters, Hazmat Technicians, and Technical Rescue Technicians are trained and qualified to staff apparatus.

Certification and maintenance training for Hazardous Materials and Technical Rescue 12 Technicians/year 200 QUALIFIED STAFF

Certification and maintenance training for Emergency Vehicle Operators 24-30 Students/year

Targets & Measures J 90% of all staff complete and document all proficiency drills annually. J A minimum of seven hours of skills maintenance training every month for each fire hall and shift.

Fire Officer training to prepare Battalion Chiefs, Platoon Captains, and Captains for supervisory leadership roles 24-48 Students/year FIRE OFFICER 100 and 200

5 Students/year FIRE OFFICER 300

Recruit firefighter fundamental skills training 50 new recruits 3 x 6 WEEK PROGRAM

Surrey Fire Central Training Centre Industry extinguisher training and facility rental Client Services REVENUE SOURCES

Operational safety. Service excellence. Staff engagement.

48,055 HOURS SKILLS MAINTENANCE

HOURS PROFICIENCY TRAINING 6,563 143 SESSIONS MATRIX TRAINING

Crew led, in-station review and practice of critical physical skills required for job performance.

Matrix sessions per year: Five Department wide Four Technical Rescue Four Hazardous Materials

Fundamental core skills and knowledge refresher training for firefighters, emergency vehicle operators, fire officers and specialty technicians.

2,800 2,880

HOURS ONLINE CLASS HOURS

new learner formal programs

Six Formal New Learner Programs annually

90-110 students per year

FIRE CHIEF

OPERATIONS CHIEF

LICENSING EDUCATION PARTNERS

TRAINING BRANCH

REGIONAL DISPATCH

INDUSTRY STANDARDS

COMMITTEES

CLIENTS

26 CITY OF SURREY

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | OPERATIONS DIVISION 27

Prevention Branch Surrey Fire Services Prevention Branch identifies, prioritizes, and actions community risks with the goal of reducing the incidence of injury, loss of life, and property damage due to fire. J The primary role of the Fire Prevention Branch is to perform fire and life safety inspections, investigate fire cause and origin, and review plans associated with building development and fire safety. J A team of ten Fire Prevention Officers conduct fire and life safety inspections systematically and employ a risk-based approach. These efforts ensure compliance with BC Fire Code for commercial, industrial, public assembly buildings, and multi-residential occupancies. These inspections are driven by the overarching goal of enhancing fire code adherence within our community and elevating the overall fire safety standards for all residents. J In addition to their role, Fire Prevention Officers serve as Fire Investigators under the Fire Safety Act , actively engaging in fire cause and origin investigations. The outcomes of these investigations offer significant value to the community by enhancing fire and life safety, as they provide data that contributes to life safety code changes, fire prevention education, insurance changes, and support police investigations. J Additionally, Fire Prevention Officers review plan submissions during development permit and building permit application stages as well as fire safety plans during construction and occupancy of a building. These reviews ensure that both Fire Code and Fire Service operational requirements are met. J A team of two Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Officers conduct CRR inspections through the Community Property Safety Team (CPST) and Electrical Fire Safety Inspection Team (EFSIT) to address fire risks in distressed and high electrical consumption properties.

FIRE CHIEF

DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF

ASSISTANT CHIEF COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION

ASSISTANT CHIEF FIRE PREVENTION

COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION OFFICERS

FIRE PREVENTION OFFICERS

2025 Initiatives

J Create a fire department access and water supply guideline for developers to ensure insurance gradings are sustained and consistency is provided in the development process. J Modify fire bylaws to comply with the new Fire Safety Act. J Implement a risk-based fire code compliance monitoring system to comply with the new Fire Safety Act J Increase public education about the fire risks related to electric vehicles, micro mobility devices, Photo-voltaic power supply systems and Building Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to reduce the risk of fire, injury and death from these technologies.

28 CITY OF SURREY

891 Completed Plan Reviews in 2024

Plan Review Process Fire Prevention Officers review technical plans to support development projects across the city to ensure that the design and construction of the built environment meets fire code requirements and the operational needs of responding firefighters.

2024 Plans Reviewed by Type

55 24

164

191

Development Permit

175 282

Construction Fire Safety Plan

Occupant Load

Building Permit

Fire Safety Plan Review

Radio Amplicfication

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | OPERATIONS DIVISION 29

Fire & Life Safety Inspections A risk-based prioritization approach to conducting fire and life safety inspections allows Fire Prevention Officers to ensure that compliance with fire code requirements is achieved at the highest risk properties first which supports a reduced risk of fire at inspectable properties.

8,034 Commercial / Multi-Residential Property Inspections Completed in 2024

30 CITY OF SURREY

Top Five Inspected Properties by Occupancy Type

Assemblies Other

Mercantile Occupancies

Residential Occupancies

Business and Personal Services

Medium Hazard Industrial

0

500

1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500

Number of Inspected Properties

Compliance Rate on Initial Inspection — Over Five Years

2024

74%

2023

75%

2022

79%

2021

79%

2020

79%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Compliant Rate (%)

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | OPERATIONS DIVISION 31

Fire Investigations Fire Prevention Officers conduct standard investigations of significant fires that have occurred to determine the cause and origin of the fire incident. These findings help support public education, police investigations and future code changes.

Number of Fire Investigations Per Year — Over Five Years

100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500

442

379

340

333

264

0 50

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2024 Structure Fire Investigations

12%

Single Family Residential (152)

19%

Commercial (42)

69%

Multi-Family Residential (27)

32 CITY OF SURREY

2024 Fire Investigations by Type

50% of fires reported were vehicle and other fires

50% of fires reported were structure fires

Top Two Causes of Residential Structure Fire

27% of fires were cooking related

33% resulted from smoking materials and open flames

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | OPERATIONS DIVISION 33

Surrey Fire Services Community Risk Reduction has various programs working towards community safety

34 CITY OF SURREY

Community Risk Reduction

Community Property Safety Team The Distressed Properties Model, developed by Surrey Fire Services, is operated by two Fire Prevention- Community Risk Reduction Officers; leveraging the existing legislation requiring property owners to secure their vacant properties through the application of an escalating compliance model which increases the City’s security measures. The Community Property Safety (CPS) Team continues to encourage property owners to demolish or re-invest in their properties, contributing to community risk reduction. Since its inception, the model has resulted in a significant decline in structure fires in abandoned homes. By utilizing data sources available to local government, the department uses a predictive model for identifying properties in decline or abandonment state, proven to enhance efficiency by prioritizing Fire Prevention Inspectors efforts.

2024 Distressed Properties Lifecycle The CPS Team conducts assessments of properties to ascertain whether they fit the criteria outlined in the Distressed Properties Model. If a property qualifies, an order is issued to the owner, outlining their responsibility to ensure the property is adequately secured. The CPS Team then conducts follow-up inspections until compliance is achieved. The goal is to encourage property owners to either demolish or reinvest in their properties, thereby eliminating potential risks and enhancing overall community and firefighter safety.

2024 Distressed Properties 386 distressed properties managed in 2024

inspections of distressed properties 2,211 7

fires at distressed properties

distressed properties removed (Demolished, Re-invested or Reoccupied)

percentage of distressed properties ongoing in 2025

46%

54%

36 CITY OF SURREY

Electrical Fire Safety Investigation Team

The Electrical and Fire Safety Investigation Initiative was established in 2005 to address the public safety hazards arising from extraordinary high electrical consumption at residential locations to minimize risks to residents and the surrounding neighborhood. Data indicates that un-permitted electrical work is 24 times more prone to catching fire. The elevated electrical consumption associated with these operations, as well as unsafe building modifications, pose significant public safety risks. These measures have aided in identifying unsafe residential risks, mitigating hazards identified during inspections, and recovering costs associated with the initiative. Community Action Team In 2017, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions launched the Overdose Emergency Response Centre (OERC). The goal of the OERC is to act as a provincial hub for regional Community Action Teams (CATs) collaborating on targeted local strategies. The purpose of the Surrey CAT is to act as a platform for collaboration, discussion, and decision-making related to the opioid overdose response within the municipal boundaries of Surrey. The Surrey CAT members communicate, coordinate, and deliver local projects to provide a strategic response to the needs of those at risk of overdose.

9 Electrical Fire Safety Inspections

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION 37

Second Responder Program Surrey Fire Services, in collaboration with Fraser Health Authority and Health Canada, implemented the Second Responder initiative, where a team can follow-up with people post-overdose. The team consists of a firefighter (with outreach training), a clinician from the health authority and a peer support worker with lived experience. After a first responder attends to a non-fatal overdose patient in a residential setting, the second responder attends that location within 72 hours. This intervention expresses care and concern for the individual and offers voluntary opt-in to connect them to a health care professional, such as an addiction medicine nurse or clinical team to discuss the most appropriate clinical treatment or support options, based on the patient’s needs and preferences.

2024 Program Overview

Visits by Second Responders

Connections with patients

Connections with close associates of patients

307

141

67

38 CITY OF SURREY

HomeSafe Program HomeSafe is an important public safety intervention activity developed to reduce injury and death in single family residential fires. The program focuses on fire safety information and smoke alarms delivered door to door to residents considered to be at a higher risk of residential fires. After studying and collecting 20 years of fire incident data, Surrey Fire Services has built this program to protect our most vulnerable residents. Since its inception in 2008, the HomeSafe program has continually lowered fire rates, resulting in a safer community as well as protecting the health of firefighters.

Lower fire rates through opportunities for public interaction using a targeted approach

Identify persons at risk

Leverage technology (ArcGIS)

Analyze heat map

Targeted public education

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION 39

Impact of the HomeSafe Program

Homesafe Interactions

11,900

11,543

11,055

10,814

10,302

6,351

5,500

4,534

2,965

2,496

2,194

2,182

Number Of Visits/Interactions

1,419

1,190

1,010 0

968

857

500

388

289

223

215 0

209

193 0

158

0

0

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Firefighter (Crew) Visits Volunteer Visits

Food bank Events

HomeSafe Inspections Property Tax line ups

Fire-related Injuries/Fatalities at Structure Fires

33

10 15 20 25 30 35

28

20

18

18

9

6

5

3

0 5

2

1

0

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Number of Injuries Number of Fatalities

40 CITY OF SURREY

Smoke Alarm Installs

460

500

425

414

400

337

330

311

300

194

176

200

169

91

58

100

44

38

37

33

26

31

8

0

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Firefighter (Crew) Installation Community Engagement Volunteer Installation Install at HomeSafe Inspections

Fires with Working Smoke Alarms

100 120 140 160 180 200

178

70%

69%

154

68%

143

63%

135

121

110

106

62%

62%

99

97

0 20 40 60 80

94

75

61

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION 41 Fires with Working Smoke Alarms

Number of Fires

Rate of Working Smoke Alarms

A collaboration to provide emergency and non-emergency dispatch services

42 CITY OF SURREY

Communications & IT

FIRE CHIEF

DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF

COMPUTER SUPPORT SPECIALIST

COMPUTER SPECIALIST

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

COMMUNICATIONS TECHNICIAN

DISPATCH SUPERVISORS

Surrey Fire Services’ Communications & Information Technology Services collaborate to provide emergency and non-emergency dispatch services with system support and maintenance.

RADIO OPERATORS

Overview J Surrey Fire Regional Dispatch

Centre provides emergency and non-emergency dispatch services to more than 50 communities

2025 Initiatives

across British Columbia representing 25% of the

province’s population in Metro Vancouver, Capital Regional District, Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN), Squamish Lillooet Regional District (SLRD), and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD). Centre provides after-hours public works call-taking and dispatching to eleven municipalities in the Lower Mainland and CSRD. The centre also handles after-hours bylaws and public works calls for the City of Surrey. evolved, with our technology, team, and services specifically tailored to meet the needs of fire crews throughout the province. J Our operators are highly skilled and are well-equipped to address the requirements of our services, ranging from high call volume urban centres to rural volunteer departments. They consistently meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards for emergency call processing year after year. J Surrey Fire Regional Dispatch J Since 1975, Fire Service dispatching services have

J Go live onto the Next Generation 9-1-1 ESInet to comply with the Canadian Radio-television andTelecommunications Commission (CRTC) requirements. J Begin the implementation of a new Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) software to modernize our dispatch service and leverage new technologies. J Migrate our backup fire dispatch location to Firehall 10 to improve the access to and useability of the space. Target & Measures J Surrey Fire Regional Dispatch follows the NFPA standards for its performance measurements and targets: J 90% of events received on emergency lines shall be answered within 15 seconds, and 95% of events shall be answered within 20 seconds. J The 2022 NFPA 1225 standard dictates that emergency event processing for the highest prioritization level emergency events shall be completed within 60 seconds 90% of the time.

J Individual Operator call handling performance as a percentage compared to NFPA target.

44 CITY OF SURREY

Over 50 Clients Across the Province of BC

COUMBIA SHUSWAP REGIONAL DISTRICT Anglemont Volunteer Fire Department Celista Volunteer Fire Department Eagle Bay Volunteer Fire Department Falkland Volunteer Fire Department Field Fire Rescue Golden Fire Rescue

Malakwa Volunteer Fire Department Nicholson Volunteer Fire Department Ranchero/Deep Creek Volunteer Fire Department Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services Salmon Arm Fire Department Scotch Creek/Lee Creek Volunteer Fire Department Shuswap Volunteer Fire Department Sicamous Fire Department Silver Creek Volunteer Fire Department Skwlax Fire Department Swansea Point Volunteer Fire Department Tappen/Sunnybrae Volunteer Fire Department White Lake Volunteer Fire Department

SQUAMISH LILOOET REGIONAL DISTRICT

Lillooet Fire Department Seton Valley Fire Department Bralorne Volunteer Fire Department

REGIONAL DISTRICT OF NANAIMO Cranberry Volunteer Fire Department East Wellington Fire Department Extension Volunteer Fire Department Gabriola Volunteer Fire Department

METRO VANCOUVER REGIONAL DISTRICT Bowen Island Fire Department District of North Vancouver Fire Rescue Langley City Fire Rescue Service Lions Bay Fire Rescue Maple Ridge Fire Rescue North Vancouver City Fire Department Pitt Meadows Fire Rescue Port Coquitlam Fire & Emergency Services Sasamat Fire Department Surrey Fire Services Township of Langley Fire Department West Vancouver Fire Rescue White Rock Fire Rescue

CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT Colwood Fire Rescue Esquimalt Fire Rescue Langford Fire Rescue North Saanich Fire Department Sidney Fire Rescue

Lantzville Fire Rescue Nanaimo Fire Rescue North Cedar Fire Department

Victoria Fire Department View Royal Fire Rescue

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | COMMUNICATIONS & IT 45

911 Calls Answered in 2024 by Surrey Fire Regional Dispatch Centre

Total 911 Fire Related Calls Answered in 2024 was 30,819

911 Calls by Month

4,000

3,500

3,364

2,998

3,000

2,822

2,730

2,661

2,547

2,536

2,500

2,395

2,348

2,285

2,114

2,019

2,000

1,500

Count of Calls

1,000

500

0

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

46 CITY OF SURREY

911 Calls by Day of Week

6,000

5,168

5,000

4,408

4,336

4,330

4,301

4,217

4,059

4,000

3,000

2,000

Count of Calls

1,000

0

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

911 Calls by Hour of Day

1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000

1,891

1,781

1,693

1,601

1,592

1,565

1,530

1,505

1,497

1,395

1,373

1,356

1,295

1,286

1,280

1,242

1,161

1,084

949

826

814

0 200 400 600 800

723

705

675

Count of Calls

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223

Hour of Day

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | COMMUNICATIONS & IT 47

125,494 emergency and

non-emergency incidents processed (fire, medical, alarms, rescue, public assist, public works and bylaws)

Number of Incidents Processed by Surrey Fire Regional Dispatch Centre 2024

2024 Total Incidents by Month

14,000

12,000

11,570

11,076

11,029

10,951

10,633

10,589

10,395

10,362

10,321

10,000

9,828

9,789

8,951

8,000

6,000

4,000

Count of Incidents

2,000

0

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

48 CITY OF SURREY

2024 Incidents by Day of Week

17000 17,500 18,000 18,500 19,000 19,500 20,000 Count of Incidents

19,646

18,423

17,778

17,477

17,441

17,386

17,343

16,000 16,500

2024 Incidents by Hour of Day

3,458 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223 Count of Incidents Hour of Day 2,827 2,542 2,372 2,282 2,572 3,424 4,275 5,301 6,040 6,455 6,794 6,620 7,001 6,854 7,035 7,382 7,331 7,034 6,762 6,456 5,771 4,891

4,015

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | COMMUNICATIONS & IT 49

Overall Emergency Event Processing

2024 Call Processing

0:39

2024 Call Dispatching

0:10

Standard 2022 NFPA 1225 Standard 15.4.4.I - Emergency event processing shall be completed within 60 seconds, 90% of the time. Surrey Fire Regional Dispatch 2020–2024 emergency event processing time average is 48.8 seconds 90% of the time. We are proud of our track record of well exceeding the National Fire Protection Association standard year after year.

Emergency event processing time = Call Processing Time + Call Dispatching Time

50 CITY OF SURREY

Call Processing

5 Year Average 00:37 Seconds

34.5 35 35.5 36 36.5 37 37.5 38 38.5 39 39.5

39

38

38

36

36

Seconds

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

5 Year Average 00:11 Seconds

Call Dispatching

14

13

12

12

11

10

10

10

8

6

4

Seconds

2

0

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | COMMUNICATIONS & IT 51

Keeps the department operating at optimum level

52 CITY OF SURREY

Support Division J Surrey Fire Services’ Support Division keeps the department operating at optimum level along with day-to-day administration.

FIRE CHIEF

ASSISTANT TO CHIEF - FINANCE MANAGER

DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF

OPERATIONAL SUPPORT ANALYST

COMPUTER SPECIALIST/ COMPUTER SUPPORT SPECIALIST/ COMMUNICATIONS TECHNICIAN

FINANCE CLERKS

STOCK ROOM CLERK

MAIL ROOM CLERKS

SUPPORT CLERKS

Administration Support

Four full-time clerks serve as the support hub for clerical activity for all fire department divisions. The clerks also facilitate most public inquiries. Administrative Support Clerks serve as the front-line communicators, managing various inquiries from both the public and internal staff. Administrative Support Clerks provide public assistance at the front counter, by phone and email to allow for direct communication with Surrey residents and businesses when helping with various requirements such as:

The Support division also assists with the distribution and compilation of Memos and Operational Guidelines from Administration to Fire Service staff. Through the Support staff’s maintenance of personnel databases, the department is able to achieve efficient onboarding/offboarding practices and help with the recognition of certain milestones for each employee. Other duties include the ordering and distribution of stationary items to fire halls, and assistance with community volunteer engagement in the Surrey Emergency program. J Year 2024: 8,936 - emails and correspondence processed by Support Clerks in support of public and administration enquiries Financial Account Clerks process invoices for fire safety-related bylaw infractions, which assists the Fire Prevention’s Division’s overall mandate to improve Fire Safety compliance rates in the city. Financial Account Clerks assist with accounting duties including: J Timely processing of payments for supplies and services purchased, and

J Fire Safety Plans

J Occupant Load

J Burning Permits

J Record Search; and

J Regulatory compliance assistance.

6,562 invoices accurately and timely processed in 2024, resulted in less than 2% (86 invoices) being credited/ reversed, due to the consistent execution of best practice

J Invoicing for bylaw infraction fees or service fees.

Clerical Efforts in Support of Increasing Fire Safety Compliance

2023

2024

Disputes Credited

148

86

Number of Invoices billed

7,788

6,562

Percentage of Invoices Reversed Resulting in Credits

1.9% 1.3%

54 CITY OF SURREY

Operations Support Stockroom Clerks manage the inventory ordering, warehousing and distribution for everyday supplies and services required to support efficient departmental operations. The logistics group, consisting of two full-time Stock Clerks, one full-time Operations Support Analyst for oversight, and a dedicated group of Firefighters across the city, collaborate to ensure the availability of goods and services for emergency response services and supporting functions.

10,500 orders processed by logistics groups, in 2024, for fire service operational needs (2.9% decrease from 2023)

Internal Fire Online Requisition Orders for Supplies and Services for 2023 and 2024

2024

11%

14%

11%

6%

16%

Cleaning Supplies

6%

2023

First Aid

8%

10%

Hall Maintenance Supplies

Office Supplies Operations Truck Supplies

11%

11%

46%

50%

SURREY FIRE SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT | SUPPORT DIVISION 55