Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service operations

Fire and rescue operations responds to a range of life-threatening situations each day. Between 2019 and 2021, the number of fires WFPS responded to increased by 58 per cent.

Crews respond to a wide range of fire and rescue incidents including everything from outdoor fires and wildland fires to residential structure, commercial building and high rise fires.

The most common causes of residential fires in Winnipeg are arson, improper disposal of smoking materials and cigarette butts, careless or distracted cooking, electrical failures, and mechanical or appliance issues.

Each firefighter has training to respond to many hazards, and some specialized teams receive additional training and supplies to respond to specific situations.

Hazardous materials

The hazardous materials (hazmat) team provides specialized responses to suspected environmental spills, accidents, disasters, and criminal activities. All firefighters have Hazmat training, but the Hazmat team, based out of two stations and equipped with three specialized trucks, provides an added level of protection.

Hazmat professionals can provide decontamination, containment, and cleanup using highly-trained technicians and support from industry partners and other levels of government.

The City of Winnipeg's Office of Emergency Management lists large-scale hazardous materials emergencies as one of the main hazards facing Winnipeggers.

High-angle rescue and trench rescue

Responding to someone who needs help in an unusual situation, such as on a crane, bridge, construction site, or confined space, requires specialized training, skills, and equipment.

WFPS was one of the first fire departments in North America to provide a high-angle response team through a formal and dedicated program, requiring technicians to recertify their skills every two years.

The high-angle response team uses ropes and special tools to safely respond to calls for service at high-rise buildings, construction sites, on cranes and bridges, and in other complicated situations.

The trench rescue team responds to confined spaces or trenches on one of two specially-equipped trucks.

Vehicle extrication

WFPS members respond to many vehicle collisions each year, some of which require fast action by teams trained in vehicle extrication to remove trapped or entangled people in a vehicle safely.

Specially-trained vehicle extrication firefighter crews use high-pressure airlift bags, hydraulic rams, cutters, spreaders, winches, and hand tools. Crews protect patients throughout the process, and firefighters and paramedics work together to protect patients and start emergency medical care. WFPS rescue technicians also respond to heavy rescue incidents that involve heavy machinery like construction equipment or transport trucks.

Water and ice rescue

Winnipeg is a river city, and the Winnipeg Fire Department is prepared to rescue people from our waterways. The Water and Ice Rescue team responds to 150 calls for service each year on rivers, streams, retention ponds, and swimming pools.

Some WFPS stations in Winnipeg have specialized equipment and specifically trained crews standing by to respond to emergencies on water or ice. WFPS has Zodiac inflatable boats with outboard engines, and a water rescue boat with an outboard motor.

The water rescue program has been in Winnipeg for more than 20 years.
Remember to follow essential safety tips to avoid a water or ice emergency.

Remotely-Piloted Aerial Vehicle(drone) program

The WFPS has specially trained firefighters who operate remotely piloted aerial vehicles (or drones) during emergency responses. These pilots are available 24-7. WFPS drones assist in search and rescue and many structure and wildland fires.

Drones provide an aerial view of a situation and use heat signatures to locate people or the source of a fire, allowing crews to quickly search an area or better direct firefighting efforts during a response.

This program began in 2018 and helps keep residents and WFPS crews safe during emergency responses.

Wildland fire

WFPS responds to grass and vegetation fires each year. These fires can spread quickly, threatening lives, properties, and green spaces.

All WFPS members can respond to this type of fire, but some WFPS firefighters receive additional training and support to better respond to this type of incident. Two WFPS stations have wildland firefighting tools, including the WFPS Bison, a vehicle fitted with heavier tires that can spray water while moving. WFPS also has two all-terrain vehicles for use in high-vegetarian areas.

All residents can take steps to help prevent wildland fires in Winnipeg.

Superior Tanker Shuttle Service

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WFPS paramedics provide emergency health services in Winnipeg as a contracted service of Shared Health Manitoba. WFPS paramedics respond to more than 80,000 medical emergencies each year. They provide professional and emergency pre-hospital care when people in Winnipeg need it most.

All WFPS paramedics have a minimum certification of Primary Care Paramedic (PCP), and all WFPS paramedics are licensed through the College of Paramedics of Manitoba. Some paramedics have additional or specialized training.

Primary Care Paramedics

Primary Care Paramedics (PCPs) are graduates of a Canadian Medical Association (CMA) training program. PCPs work on ambulances or fire apparatus. They can assess and treat patients in emergencies before they get to a hospital.

Advanced Care Paramedics

Advanced Care Paramedics (ACPs) can provide all the same care options as a primary care paramedic and additional procedures and treatments. Many WFPS ACPs graduated from the WFPS' accredited training division, a three-year program involving hundreds of hours of clinical, didactic, and ambulance field training.

Advanced Care Paramedic Practitioners

Advanced Care Paramedic Practitioners (ACPPs) are Advanced Care Paramedics who have received more training to respond to less common but highly critical situations. Their advanced and specialized training enables them to respond to calls involving children and infants, and those requiring advanced life support, respiratory or cardiac procedures, and other medications.

Community Paramedics

Community Paramedics specialize in community-based paramedicine, allowing residents to receive medical care in the community.

Community Paramedics travel in SUVs and provide patients with early health assessments and interventions. They provide referrals for home care, primary care, and senior care. Community Paramedics will continue to follow up with patients until adequate primary care services are in place to address their needs, lessening the impact on the emergency medical system and building relationships.

Community Paramedics are trained in chronic disease management, prevention of illness, communicable diseases, and health restoration. They deal with low acuity medical concerns and complex chronic health issues that typically result in calls to 9-1-1. They assist patients in finding the most appropriate health resource to support their ongoing medical care, and work to prevent health deterioration that may result in transport to the Emergency Department.

Since 2011, WFPS Community Paramedics have provided 24-7 on-site medical care to people at Main Street Project. While the program's initial goal was to provide medical clearance to every person detained at Main Street Project under the Intoxicated Person Detention Act, ensuring patient safety, the program's scope has expanded over the years. WFPS paramedics now provide primary and emergency care to more than 14,000 patients annually, including point-of-care testing for HIV with immediate test results, advanced wound care, referrals to other programs, health information, and coordinated care with other health care professionals.

Since the start of the program, there has been a 50% reduction in ambulance transports from Main Street Project, as patients can receive the care they need while there.

Major Incident Response Vehicle (MIRV)

The Mass Incident Response Vehicle (MIRV) responds to mass casualty incidents (situations where many patients are expected in one location), evacuations of facilities like nursing homes or daycares, or other significant incidents and for special events as a clinical triage and treatment space.

The MIRV has eight stretchers and room to seat patients who don't need stretchers. The unit is fully stocked with medical supplies and staffed by paramedics as required.

Enhanced Low-Acuity Triage (ELAT) program

In May 2021, WFPS launched the Enhanced Low-Acuity Triage (ELAT) program. 9-1-1 calls that meet certain conditions are transferred to an Advanced Care Paramedic who completes a more in-depth medical assessment for low acuity patients. This helps WFPS determine if patients with low-acuity concerns can safely benefit from a different mode of transport to a hospital rather than an ambulance.

Tactical Emergency Medical Services (TEMS)

Specialized WFPS paramedics receive special training to work directly with the Winnipeg Police Service to provide care in hostile situations. TEMS members work alongside WPS and are equipped with all the protective equipment that tactical law enforcement officers receive. This team provides on-the-spot lifesaving care for people at a hostile scene.

Winnipeg Police Central Processing Unit

A paramedic is assigned to the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS), keeping clients safe through medical monitoring and clearance.

When people call 9-1-1 in Winnipeg, they are connected first with the Winnipeg Police Service 9-1-1 centre, which is the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for Winnipeg. If callers require fire/rescue or paramedic services, the call is transferred to the WFPS 9-1-1 Communications Centre.

WFPS call takers and dispatchers have emergency medical responder (EMR) training and save lives by explaining to callers how to do CPR, deliver a baby, or other life-saving care while also ensuring the correct emergency responders are dispatched to the scene. These key players offer residents a calm, reassuring voice during an emergency.

Our 9-1-1 Call-Takers and Dispatchers triage calls using industry-standard Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) and Fire Priority Dispatch Systems (FPDS) to ensure the most urgent calls are prioritized for service. If a transport ambulance is temporarily unavailable, dispatchers, firefighter-paramedics, or community paramedics remain in contact with the patient while waiting for an ambulance. If their medical situation changes, they may be reprioritized for transport.

MPDS is a safe and proven emergency medical call-taking protocol that provides a structured, patient-focused process for gathering critical information, prioritizing medical situations, and delivering practical life-saving instructions to 9-1-1 callers.