Courtenay Annual Report 2025 draft

Members of the Courtenay Fire Department

Courtenay Fire Department

Operations In 2025, the Courtenay Fire Department continued to deliver reliable fire protection, emergency response and prevention services while adapting to changing service demands and community growth. The department responded to 1,306 incidents, a modest decrease from 2024, largely due to fewer open burning responses and ambulance assists. While overall call volume declined, incident complexity increased, reflected in higher volunteer response hours. Service demand continued to shift east of the Courtenay River, reinforcing the importance of advancing the East Courtenay fire hall project to support response times and long-term service sustainability. Volunteer engagement remained strong, supported by more than 4,900 training hours and the progression of a new recruit class. Fire prevention and public education efforts expanded, with 1,842 inspections completed and 191 public education events delivered across the service area. The department also supported regional wildfire response and emergency operations during the 2025 wildfire season, contributing to multi-agency response efforts on Vancouver Island. These activities support community safety, emergency preparedness, and resilience across Courtenay and the surrounding fire protection district.

Training In 2025, the Courtenay Fire Department continued to prioritize training to ensure operational readiness and responder safety. Members completed more than 4,900 training hours, supporting core competencies in fire suppression, medical response, technical rescue and incident command. Training activities included regular in-house drills, regional joint exercises and certification programs, strengthening interoperability with partner agencies. A new recruit class progressed through foundation training, supporting volunteer capacity and long-term service sustainability. Increased incident complexity reinforced the importance of ongoing skills development, particularly for multi disciplinary and higher-risk responses. The department’s training program supports consistent service delivery while adapting to evolving community needs and response demands.

84 | City of Courtenay