Whitecourt’s fire and rescue experience can be traced back to 1958 when A.J. Miller founded the Whitecourt Fire Department. The department was formed in response to a major fire at Western Lumber & Construction (now known as Miller Western), and the department served a community of less than one thousand inhabitants. Since then the department has grown considerably, and so has the responsibility as the Petroleum industry and the Forestry sector have both set up major plants and processing centres in and around Whitecourt.

map Whitecourt is situated on the banks of the Athabasca and the McLeod River, and has an ever increasing population of about 8000 people. In addition to this, the County of Woodlands has a population of about 2500, and the department is responsible for covering an area of over 5000 square kilometers. We respond to calls on the troublesome Highway #43 (Also known as Moose Row): North about half way to Fox Creek, and South to Cottonwood, which is about half way to Mayerthorpe. We serve Hwy.#32 south beyond Groat Creek which is half way to Peers, and we go north till we are roughly half way to Swan Hills. In addition to this, rescues have been performed on some of the thousands of kilometers of logging roads which track the entire landscape. The blessing of the weather has made us the snowmobile capital of Alberta; yet, this same weather can keep us quite busy at times.

The department currently has 32 volunteer members, and two full time staff: Chief Bruce Parrent, and Deputy Chief Brian Ballard. Our training and activities include fire prevention, fire supression, auto extrication, slope bank rescue, swift water rescue, ice rescue, confined space rescue, and aerial rescue. In addition to this, our department has one Paramedic, seven E.M.T.’s, and six E.M.R.’s, who all work very closely with the regional Ambulance.