2019 was a busy year for Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, with an estimate of roughly 3,500 fire suppression events in the city for the year.
Global News sat down with Fire Chief Ken Block, where he highlighted key issues he would like to see improved, as well as successes.
In addition, the chief discussed why he is leaving Edmonton, and shared more about his upcoming opportunity in Australia.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Chris Chacon: With this fair amount of fires, do we have enough stations? Are more needed? Do we have enough personnel?
Block also talked about the positive progression with regards to supporting staff who face mental health issues.
Chief Ken Block: In Edmonton over the last four years, we’ve really worked diligently on reducing the stigma, raising the awareness of mental wellness of being a thing for our staff and putting the supports in place. We have two robust training programs, one being Mental Health First Aid, and the other, Road to Mental Readiness, that are contributing to building the resiliency in our staff.
Block also shared his thoughts with regards to the provincial budget and its impacts to the service.
The chief went to talk about his departure and reflected on this time in service.
Chris Chacon: How long have you been here? How long have you been in the service here in Edmonton?
Chief Ken Block: I was lucky enough as a young man to find this career in 1980. So I’ve been here for over 39 years, I started in May of 1980 and when I step out in February, I think that’s 39 years and seven months. I have been the most fortunate individual over the last forty years. The great people, it’s the people that make the fire service– they’re amazing, their dedication, their professionalism. The great people that have mentored me from the time I was a recruit firefighter all the way through the ranks, until I had the privilege 11 years ago to be appointed as the 16th fire chief in Edmonton.
Chris Chacon: Do you want to give us a quick snippet as to your next step?
Chief Ken Block: The state of Victoria in Australia contacted me in July and made me aware of some changes that they were doing legislatively to stand up a new fire rescue Victoria fire service. They said, ‘Chief, we’d really like you to consider leading this organization.’ So they’ve created a new position there, called the commissioner of Fire Rescue Victoria. Our discussion took us to a place where they made me an offer, and quite frankly, what an opportunity. To go from 40 years of being luckiest fire service professional in North America, to the next five years of being the luckiest fire service professional in I think in the world, how do you say no to that?
Ken Block was appointed as Edmonton’s fire chief on February 1, 2009. His last day with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services is February 3rd.
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