Vancouver Fire Fighters

06/09/2026

This Indigenous History Month, we're featuring the voices of our Indigenous members. Today that's Joseph Currie, Cree and Blackfoot, Montana Band First Nation, Maskwacis, three months in the hall and already clear on why he's here.

Joseph came to the fire service for two reasons: to give back, and to keep growing. He found both. He also found something that felt like home, a culture built on seniority, respect, and learning from those who came before. For Joseph, that mirrored the values of ceremony he grew up with.

First Nations' Emergency Services Society of BC helped him get there, providing the mentorship and accountability he needed to earn his credentials and land the job. His advice to Indigenous young people considering the career: don't give up. The support exists. Use it.

06/04/2026

June is National Indigenous History Month. Rather than mark it with words alone, we're sharing the voices of our own Indigenous members, about their work, their heritage, and what they bring to the fire service.

Mattias Ballantyne is a Vancouver firefighter and a member of the Misipawistik Cree Nation in northern Manitoba.

He grew up outside of his First Nations culture and has spent his adult life reconnecting with it. Through his work with the First Nations' Emergency Services Society, he's helped give back to First Nations communities across BC and brought those teachings back into the hall with him.

With First Nations' Emergency Services Society of BC he helped develop a program that mentors First Nations students through the training, certification, and volunteer experience they need to one day join the fire service, building Indigenous representation in emergency services from the ground up.

This June, we're proud to share his story.

06/02/2026

Katrina Davison is a Vancouver firefighter and the President of our union. In this episode of In Solidarity Katrina talks about her time at Hall 14, a single-piece hall on the edge of the city where you're first in and often working alone before backup arrives. She reflects on the variety of calls that still manages to surprise even seasoned firefighters, and she's candid about the hardest part of the job: keeping the weight of the work from following you home.

Also: Thai noodle salad. Preferably at 2 a.m.

In Solidarity is our ongoing series highlighting the members and leaders who make IAFF Local 18 strong.

05/30/2026

In 2025, Vancouver firefighters responded to 1,435 incendiary fires, a 49% increase from the year before.

An incendiary fire isn't an accident. It's deliberately set with the intent to cause damage and destruction. And behind every one of those calls are members running toward something someone else started on purpose.

This trend is serious. It puts citizens, property, and first responders at greater risk. As a union, we're committed to advocating for the resources, training, and support our members need to meet a threat like this head on.

If you see something suspicious, report it to police.

05/28/2026

05/28/2026

Thank you Mayor Ken Sim!

We appreciate how engaged you have been on Firefighter issues since taking office.

Today, we mark 140 years since Vancouver Volunteer Hose Company No. 1 had its inaugural meeting, answering the call to serve and protect our city.

Since May 28, 1886, generations of firefighters have stood ready through every emergency, every challenge, and every chapter in Vancouver’s history.

On behalf of the City of Vancouver, I want to thank the women and men of Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services for their courage, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to keeping our communities safe.

Vancouver is stronger because of your service.

05/28/2026

On May 28, 1886, the Vancouver Volunteer Hose Company No. 1 answered its first call to protect this city. 140 years later, through every shift, every emergency, and every evolution of this city, that commitment hasn't wavered. Today we recognize the women and men, past and present, who have given so much in service to Vancouver.

Happy 140th birthday Vancouver Fire Rescue Services 🎂

05/27/2026

Ladder work over the years

First Photo: Firemen on tower ladder fire wagon and ladders at scene of a building fire - 1943 - This photo was taken by Jack Lindsay, a famous and prolific news photographer of his era.

Second Photo: 1964 during new recruit training - 1964 was a huge hiring year for the VFD. In 1964 Vancouver Fire Fighters negotiated a total hours of work reduction from 48 hours per week to 42 hours. That caused the hiring of the 80 firefighters known as the "Sixty-Fourers". These recruits were part of that group, they were trained in 8 groups of 10 by senior captains who were seconded to training.

Third Photo: 1979 in China Town.

05/26/2026

Considering a career in the fire service? Firefighter Natasha Paulinyi has advice worth hearing.

05/22/2026

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian men, and for firefighters, occupational exposure to carcinogens makes early detection even more critical.

Research spanning 40 years of national data shows that when PSA screening was widely used, mortality dropped by more than 50%. When screening declined, incurable Stage IV cases rose.

Many of our members fall squarely in the age range where screening showed the greatest benefit. Talk to your doctor about PSA screening. Know your risk. Your health is worth fighting for.