Medicine Hat firefighters fight the fire at the Royal in September 2022. (Photo Courtesy Alarm in Alberta)

By Chris Brown

Public screening at Esplanade of documentary featuring Medicine Hat firefighters

May 11, 2023 | 4:44 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – René Grigat’s appearance on the big screen at the Esplanade is drawing near.

The German ex-pat had his time in front of the camera in September and February as a German film crew followed him and other Medicine Hat firefighters on the job.

Grigat has seen the full series and is impressed with the perspectives it shows, one that firefighters can’t see in the middle of the action.

“I think the documentary crew did a great job,” he says. “The pictures are very unique because normally when we go on calls we don’t have a cameraman running around us or a drone flying above us. So even for us as firefighters, it’s cool to see how it looks from the outside and how we get captured. It’s very unique I like it they did a great job.”

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The full eight-episode series Alarm in Alberta is being shown on Discovery Channel in Grigat’s former home country of Germany.

Next week episode two, which features the September 2022 fire that destroyed the Royal, will be shown at the Esplanade.

Grigat says it will be great for community members to see not only what happens in the heat of the moment while firefighters battle a major blaze, but also some of the day-to-day lives of firefighters when they’re not responding to fires.

He and assistant deputy chief Douglas Gill both say people always see the big red truck heading to a fire and the firefighters at the scene but the series shows a lot that community members don’t typically see.

“It highlights really the service we provide to the residents and the things we can do for them and the community right,” Gill says. “I know the leadership team here we’re super proud of the work that our guys do. Not only in frontline operation stuff but in the training the fire prevention-related stuff, the investigations that we do and even the 911 call centre and dispatching.

“They’re all pieces, important pieces in the cogs of the wheel that make it go around. It’s nice to see and I’m excited that it’s going to be showcased next Tuesday.”

There are about 50 tickets left for the free screening at the Esplanade.

The event begins at 7:30 p.m. with music by Band of Brothers, who often played at the Royal, There will also be a Fill the Fire Truck” drive for the Root Cellar Food & Wellness Hub.