Photo Courtesy Brendan Miller

By Brendan Miller

Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services looking for new recruits

Feb 24, 2023 | 4:23 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services is now hiring new recruits for this fall.

It’s a difficult and demanding job with very real dangers, but becoming a firefighter can also be a rewarding career filled with unforgettable experiences.

Luke Oegema is one of the most recent hires who has joined Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services.

Oegema has been serving in the community for the past 14 months.

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“Apart from being able to serve the community in which I grew up, I’d say the best part of the job is just the guys that we have here and you never know what the day is going to bring,” says Oegema.

“We never know what’s going to happen and it’s pretty exciting day-to-day.”

His enthusiasm and passion for the job is exactly what Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services is looking for in their new recruits.

On March 6, four new probationary firefighters will begin their new careers with the department. Assistant deputy Fire Chief Douglas Gill says they are actively looking to fill four more positions by this fall.

“Quality people, character. You know you can have all the qualifications in the world but if you don’t have character, we are looking for professionalism, teamwork, respect, accountability,” describes Gill.

The extra people will strengthen crews to help the services better respond to emergency calls.

“It’s given us the ability to move 18-man platoons to 20-man platoons and that’s going to help us to meet our first alarm assignment goals in response to having 16 people on-scene when we can,” says Gill.

But it’s no easy road.

Along with school, many recruits have to volunteer in smaller areas before finding work in a city as a full-time firefighter.

Chief training officer Garnet Decker says the job takes a lot of dedication.

“It’s a tough first year. We do expect a lot from them. We set high expectations and hope that they can meet them, which they have been. It’s a challenging, rewarding career for them,” says Decker.

A challenge that is overcome with the help of teamwork and camaraderie.

“It is a family, we care about each other immensely. Guys do a lot of things on the side together, hockey, ball games, camping trips,” says Decker.

“It is a big family and it’s a second home for everyone when they come in they work shift work, this is their second home,” adds Decker.

The four new recruits that begin their service in Medicine Hat in March will begin with a week-long orientation period before their full-time role begins.

You can check out the application to work with the Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services here.