Busby Volunteer Fire Department & Society

05/15/2026

Fire ban has been rescinded and downgraded to a fire restriction. Please continue to use caution and adhere to current fire restrictions as outlined.

Effective May 15, 2026. A Fire Restriction is issued for Westlock County.

In accordance with Westlock County Fire Bylaw 56-2024 section 11.0, a Fire Control Order is now in effect for lands within Westlock County Jurisdiction located outside of the Forest Protection Area.

Restricted:
Fire Permits for non-essential heavy fuel burning (windrows, machine piled brush piles etc..).
All other fire permit requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Previous burning sites must be checked for proper extinguishment.

Restricted:
Backcountry Wood Fire Pit on Public Lands or Unsupervised Campgrounds;

Restricted:
Burn Barrels

Restricted:
Fire Works

Allowed: Backyard Fire Pits
must be minimum of three (3) meter clearance, measured from the nearest fire pit edge is maintained from buildings, property lines, or other combustible material and have a mesh screen with openings no larger than 12.5 mm and constructed of expanded metal (or equivalent non-combustible material), gas or propane stove barbeques.

Allowed: Portable propane fire pits, that are CSA approved or UL certified.

Allowed: Safe Wood Fire in a registered private campground.

Allowed: OHVs that has a spark arrestor**

** All devices must be CSA approved and used as per manufacturer standards. An enclosed facility or device is one that is fully contained with a chimney that has a spark arrestor. Users are still responsible for care and attendance of all devices and should reduce their use during fire restrictions and bans.

Supervise and extinguish all fires during windy dry conditions. If you are conducting any burning or conducting hot work (gas torch, grinding, cutting etc...) you SHALL have water, fire blanket and extinguishing equipment handy and ready to use.

Westlock County urges everyone to use extreme caution when working or driving in grassy areas, be mindful of hot exhaust and keep vehicles clean and free of debris as smoldering debris can fall off and start fires.

Always know your location and Dial 911 for any emergency!

Visit https://westlockcounty.com/fire-advisory-notice for more information.

05/06/2026

🔥 Westlock County Fire Services, including Station 6 Busby, have been busy today responding to several fires across the area.

Please be mindful when doing any activity that may create a source of ignition, including grinding, welding, cutting, or operating equipment in dry grass.

All outside fires are currently banned, and we ask for everyone’s cooperation to help protect your property, your neighbours, and our communities.

Conditions remain extremely dry. It does not take much for a fire to spread quickly.

For current restrictions and updates visit:
👉 albertafirebans.ca

Questions regarding the fire ban:
📞 Westlock County – 780-349-3346

**UPDATE*** The fire is now contained and will be monitored.

Westlock County Fire Services are on scene of an outside fire in the area of TWP 604 and RR 265.

Please avoid the area and allow our firefighters to continue to work to put out the fire.

05/04/2026

🔥 TOTAL FIRE BAN – WESTLOCK COUNTY

Effective May 4, 2026, a Fire Control Order is in place for all lands within Westlock County (outside the Forest Protection Area).

What this means:
• No open fires of any kind
• All existing fire permits are cancelled – no new permits will be issued
• Off-highway vehicles for recreational purposes are prohibited on public land
• Fireworks, sky lanterns, and other ignition sources are prohibited
• Propane and natural gas appliances are still allowed

Important:
Property owners must check all existing burn sites and ensure they are fully extinguished.

For full details and updates:
👉 www.albertafirebans.ca

Questions:
📞 Westlock County – 780-349-3346

04/23/2026

INSIDE BUSBY FIRE – TENDER 6

Tender 6 is a critical piece of our rural firefighting capability, bringing a large, reliable water supply to scenes where hydrants aren’t available.

With a capacity of 6,000 gallons (22,712 litres), along with direct dump and suction capability, Tender 6 supports sustained fireground operations and water shuttle setups across Westlock County and beyond. Its onboard 4” pump allows for efficient refilling and discharge, and it works seamlessly with our 4,000 gallon portable drop tank.

This unit responds to all structure fires in Westlock County, provides automatic aid to Sturgeon County, and has supported provincial deployments in areas like Edson and Peers. It also plays a role right here at home, helping with seasonal flooding of community rinks.

Tender 6 is built on a tri-axle platform with an 18-speed manual transmission—designed for durability, capacity, and reliability in rural conditions.

With 6,000 gallons on Tender 6 and 1,000 gallons on Engine 6, crews have a strong initial water supply to support a safe and effective attack.

Proudly built and equipped through a partnership between Westlock County and the Busby Volunteer Fire Department Society.

04/13/2026

Inside Busby Fire: Medical First Response

Busby Fire, alongside Westlock County Fire Services, is part of the Emergency Health Services (EHS) Medical First Response (MFR) program.

Our members respond as part of a predetermined response plan to high-acuity medical calls identified by EHS, on request of EMS, or where prolonged EMS response is anticipated.

Busby Fire provides patient care ranging from Standard First Aid up to a Basic Life Support (P*P) scope of practice, in alignment with established EHS MFR protocols.

Our frontline medical equipment includes:
- Attack 6 – dedicated MFR response unit
- Lifepak 15 monitor/defibrillator for cardiac monitoring and defibrillation
- Airway and oxygen equipment for respiratory support
- Trauma kits for bleeding control and injury management
- P*P medical kits aligned with our scope of practice, for use when licensed practitioners are available
- Portable suction unit for airway management

Every patient interaction is documented through a Patient Care Report and submitted for review as part of an ongoing quality assurance process.

Training is continuous. Members maintain competency through regular in-house sessions and recognized programs such as Heart & Stroke BLS CPR and ITLS. The photos here represent a snapshot of that ongoing work.

When EMS arrives, care is transferred, and our members assist with patient packaging and movement. In some situations, members accompany EMS to hospital to support continuity of care when additional assistance is required.

This program ensures trained responders are on scene early, delivering timely Basic Life Support care until EMS resources are available.

04/07/2026

Inside Busby Fire: Water & Ice Rescue

Water and ice rescue requires specialized equipment, training, and a disciplined approach to safety.

Our members operate in both open water and ice conditions using dry suits and ice rescue suits designed to protect against cold exposure while allowing mobility in the water. Personal flotation devices, helmets, and thermal protection systems are standard for every operation.

Rescues are supported by throw bags, tethered rope systems, and shore-based anchors to safely reach and recover patients without putting additional members at risk. Tools like ladders and flotation devices are also used to distribute weight on unstable ice and create safer access points.

Every evolution is built around one priority: rescuer safety first.

No rescue is successful if it creates another emergency.

Training like this ensures our team understands how equipment performs in real conditions, how to work together on the ice, and how to make controlled, informed decisions in a high-risk environment.

Because when someone is in the water, preparation, equipment, and teamwork are what bring them home.

03/30/2026

Inside Busby Fire: Training Nights

Training is the foundation of everything we do.

Your Busby firefighters train on a regular basis through weekly training nights, weekend sessions, and formal certification courses such as NFPA 1001, wildland/urban interface, and medical first response.

These sessions cover a wide range of skills — from vehicle extrication and water supply operations, to fire behaviour, rescue techniques, and patient care.

Not every call looks the same. In fact, most don’t.

That’s why training focuses on being adaptable, working as a team, and building confidence in high-pressure situations. Whether it’s a structure fire, a grass fire, a motor vehicle collision, or a medical emergency, our members are constantly sharpening their skills to be ready.

Because when the tones goes off, there’s no practice run.

03/23/2026

Inside Busby Fire – Controlled Burns / Hazard Reduction

This week we’re highlighting controlled burns, also known as hazard reduction burns.

These burns are a proactive way to reduce wildfire risk by removing dry grass and fuel before it becomes a problem. By creating a controlled, low-intensity burn, we help limit how fast and how far a fire can spread later in the season.

This particular burn was completed along the CN rail right-of-way, working in coordination with CN. Rail corridors can be a ignition source, so maintaining these areas is helpful for protecting nearby land, infrastructure, and our community.

Controlled burns also provide valuable hands-on training opportunities, especially for newer members. Working in light fuels allows crews to safely build experience with:

• Fire behaviour and spread
• Hose line operations
• Anchor points and control lines
• Communication and coordination on a fireground

During these operations, crews:
• Establish control lines
• Monitor wind and weather conditions closely
• Use hose lines and tools to keep the fire contained
• Ensure the burn is fully extinguished before leaving

Controlled burns may look concerning at a glance, but they are planned, supervised, and done under the right conditions.

It’s one of the ways Busby Fire works proactively, not just reactively, to keep our area safer.

03/16/2026

Introducing: Inside Busby Fire

Starting next week March 23rd we’ll be sharing a new series called Inside Busby Fire.

These posts will give our community a closer look at what your local fire department does, the apparatus we operate, and the specialized equipment our firefighters train with.

The Busby Volunteer Fire Department operates as Station 6 within Westlock County Fire Services, staffed by paid-on-call firefighters from around the area.

Supporting the department is the Busby Volunteer Fire Department Society, a registered charity that works with community partners to help enhance emergency response capabilities.

Over the coming weeks we’ll be highlighting things like:

- Our apparatus — Engine 6, Tender 6, Attack 6 and Response 6
- Our Incident Support Trailer and UTV
- Vehicle extrication equipment
- Wildland firefighting capability
- Ice and water rescue equipment
- Low-angle rope rescue systems
- Our Medical First Response program supporting EMS
- Firefighter recruitment process
- BVFD Society and its role wittin the community

Stay tuned as we take you inside Busby Fire and showcase the equipment, training, and people behind your local fire department.

03/09/2026

Medical First Response Program – Lifepak 15 Upgrade

The Busby Fire Department & Society would like to extend a sincere thank you to several key partners who helped make an important upgrade to our Medical First Response (MFR) program possible.

Through the generous support of Keyera Corp, the Westlock Community Foundation, and YourAlberta (Government of Alberta) Community Initiatives Program, our department was able to replace our end-of-life Lifepak 12 cardiac monitor/defibrillator with a new Lifepak 15 monitor/defibrillator.

This advanced piece of equipment allows our responders to better assess and monitor patients during medical emergencies. The Lifepak 15 provides cardiac monitoring, defibrillation for life-threatening heart rhythms, and critical patient information that can assist paramedics when they arrive on scene.

Busby firefighters provide Medical First Response at up to a Basic Life Support (BLS) level whenever possible, helping bridge the critical time between a 911 call and the arrival of ambulance services.

We are proud to recognize these partners on our front-line apparatus Engine 6 and Attack 6, where their support is displayed as part of the community partnership that helps keep Busby and the surrounding area protected.

Thank you to our partners for helping ensure our firefighters have the equipment needed when seconds matter.

02/26/2026

The Busby Volunteer Fire Dept Society had submitted a grant application with the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada – and we’re crossing our fingers! 🤞

This foundation has a strong track record of helping first responders get the equipment, training, and tools they need to save lives and keep communities safe, from lifesaving gear to innovative tech and training support. 

They’ve already invested millions across Canada in departments big and small, helping fire crews and EMS be better prepared for whatever call comes next. 

So here’s a big THANK YOU for supporting frontline heroes and considering our application. We appreciate the support — and we wish all applicants the best of luck! 🙌

👉 Learn more about the program here: https://www.firehousesubs.ca/public-safety-foundation