Main content of the website

  1. Home
  2. Home
  3. Community Services
  4. Emergency Services

Emergency Services

How Candle Lake Emergency Services Is Preparing for Wildfire Season

Firebreak Construction Underway

The Resort Village is taking steps to reduce the risk of wildfire and fire spread in our area. To achieve this, we are planning to construct a fire break on the northwest side of the lake. 

Increasing Our Ability to Fight Wildfires with New Equipment

Since summer 2023 when Fire Chief Jim Arnold joined our Emergency Services, the threat of wildfire has been taken more seriously, and preparing for wildfire has been dramatically enhanced. The goal is to be fully prepared to protect our subdivisions and neighbours if threatened by wildfire. With the support of Council, the Service has purchased 12 new wildland pumps, 6,000 feet of forestry hose, and various other value protection equipment. 

Values Protection Activities

Candle Lake Emergency Services has completed Values Protection training with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA). The SPSA works with communities to prepare for and respond to emergencies. Lakeland Coop and the Garden River Fire Departments also participated in the training. Values Protection consists of efforts to safeguard assets, both physical and intangible, from the damaging effects of fire. 

Public Safety Initiatives

This year, three Resort Village neighbourhoods are actively participating in the FireSmart™ Program. Property owners are also reminded to register community members during evacuation using the Sask. Evacuation app. Install the app on your cell phone: https://app.saskecs.ca/

Ongoing Firefighting Training 

Our firefighters are experienced in both structural and wildland firefighting; several have completed the NFPA 1001 Level 1 Firefighter certification and many are expanding their skills through specialized wildland interface courses including:

  • ‘Wildland Fire Suppression Awareness’ by the SPSA
  • ‘Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior’ by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group
  • ‘Responding to the Interface Fire Awareness’ by the International Association of Fire Fighters
  • SPSA Fuel Management Program


We All Play a Role in Wildfire Prevention:

FireSmart™ Tips to Keep You and Your Property Safe

The FireSmart™ Program advises home and cabin owners about things they can do to build resiliency to wildfire, prepare for a wildfire, and protect property home in the event of a wildfire.

FireSmart™ principles concentrate on three zones, or spaces, around a property. By reducing fuels in these areas, the community becomes more resilient during a wildfire.

 Home Ignition Zone (1.5 meters from your house) 

  • Use non-flammable material in landscaping, for example crushed rock.
  • Protect your home from flying embers but using non-flammable materials on the exterior of your house.
  • Use roofing material that is metal or fire resistant. 
  • Keep rain gutters free of debris to help ensure embers do not have a place to start a fire. 
  • Keep flying embers out of your home by ensuring vents are covered with metal screens.
  • Avoid having evergreen trees near your home. 

 Intermediate Zone (1.5 to 10 meters from property) 

  • Use leaf trees, rather than evergreens, to reduce fire risk. 
  • Keep the grass on your lawn cut short. 
  • Prune trees 2 meters from the ground. 
  • Reduce the intensity of a wildfire by spacing trees 3 meters apart.

 Extended Zone (10 to 30 meters)

  • Thin and prune evergreens. 
  • Look for opportunities to create a fire break by creating space between trees. 
  • Consider installing a sprinkler system on your roof if you have a water supply that can supply the system. If you do not have a water supply, you can still put up a sprinkler system and leave a way for values protection system to attach a hose line to supply water to your sprinklers. 
  • Remember fire embers may travel two kilometers or more with enough heat to start fires. 

Be FireSmart™

Learn more at www.saskpublicsafety.ca


Resort Village of Candle Lake Emergency Services 10 Year Master Plan

The Candle Lake Emergency Services Master Plan is a plan to enhance emergency services in the Resort Village over the next 10 years, including services to address the risk of wildfire. It provides direction and a framework that can be implemented and aligned with a community plan, in conjunction with operational planning, and a defined budget and policy making process.

Resort Village of Candle Lake Emergency Services 10 Year Master Plan.

About Candle Lake Emergency Services 

In November 2021, Firefighters, Medical First Responders (MFR) and the Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) merged to become one unit under Candle Lake Emergency Services. There are currently 23 members working in our Emergency Services: 16 firefighters and 6 medical/fire first responders.

First Responders can make a big difference in an emergency situation, for example by helping someone start to breath, performing CPR, stopping a bleed, delivering a baby, putting out a fire or dealing with other emergency situations.Emergency Vehicles 

If you are interested in volunteering as a first responder, please contact Fire Chief Jim Arnold (306) 929-2236.

The Candle Lake Fire Department for the Resort Village of Candle Lake is responsible for fire protection of all structures. The Department is led by a Fire Chief and supported by volunteer Fire Fighters and First Responders. Currently, the department is equipped with a rescue unit, two pumpers and one tanker.Emergency Vehicle



The Rescue Unit carries fire fighting, rescue and First Responder equipment as well as the Jaws of Life used to extract trapped victims of motor vehicle accidents. The pumpers are used primarily for fire fighting. The tanker carries 1,200 gallons of water and a portable pump.

Training

Firefighters and medical first responders train all year long. Meetings, training and practice are held at the Firehall on the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month for fire and every 2nd Monday of each month for medical first responders. Meetings are open to all emergency service volunteers and the cross-training is very beneficial to all.

Firefighter mandatory training includes:

  • Firefighter Safety
  • Communications
  • Fire Dynamics
  • PPE (firefighter personal protective clothing)
  • Portable fire extinguishers
  • ropes and knots, and ground ladders
  • Forcible entry
  • Structural search and rescue
  • Tactical ventilations
  • Fire hose, hose operation and hose streams
  • Fire suppression
  • Property conservation and scene preservation
  • Foam/liquid/gas fires
  • Vehicle extrication
  • Structural collapse
  • Maintenance and testing of equipment
  • CPR/AED
  • How equipment works, and how to keep it running and in working order
  • Inspection and cleaning of turnout gear
  • Road safety
  • Firefighting
  • Breathing apparatus
  • Dangerous goods, chemicals and explosions
  • Traffic incident management
  • Landing STARS
  • How to keep yourself and others safe at any scene   

Emergency Vehicle Medical First Responders (MFR) hold a license through Saskatchewan Ministry of Health and will soon be licensed through Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA). Each Resort Village member must also be approved by Village Council. MFR’s follow SHA protocols along with protocols set out in the bylaws of the Resort Village.

MFR mandatory training runs through a two-year cycle. Every second year all MFR’s must be recertified. Training and recertifications are done by Parkland Ambulance instructors or at the MFR conference held each January. MFR’s must also be recertified in CPR/AED each year.

MFR mandatory training includes:

  • EPI-Pen, Blood Glucose, SP02
  • Mechanical Aid to Breathing including Oxygen
  • Spinal Immobilization
  • Trauma Patient Assessment & Trauma Emergencies Part 1 & Part 2
  • Medical Patient Assessment & Emergencies Part 1 & Part 2

Hands on practice with firefighters/medical responders is held throughout the year.  

Equipment

The Resort Village currently has two AED machines for use by the Firefighters and MFR’s. These are located on board the Medical First Responder Unit and the Rescue Truck.

Other equipment on board the MFR Unit 1 includes:Sno-Ambulance

  • LUCAS Chest Compression System - a portable tool designed to overcome problems identified with manual chest compressions. LUCAS assists rescuers by delivering effective, consistent and continuous chest compressions.
  • The Unit is also equipped with backboards, splits, slings, burn equipment, glucose monitors, blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, SP02 monitors, Oxygen, OPA’s, PPE, obstetrics kits, thermometers, EPI pens, and pediatric supplies.

The Resort Village also has a Sno-ambulance and sled. This unit has come in handy in retrieving patients off a snowmobile trail.