Safe and efficient emergency response depends on accurate information. For Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS), that includes having access to current road closures, lane restrictions and other traffic impacts that may affect response routes across the city.
As construction continues on the Valley Line West LRT project, Marigold Infrastructure Partners (MIP) regularly shares construction updates with EFRS to support emergency response planning.
To better understand how this information is used, MIP’s Communications team visited the EFRS Emergency Communications Centre for a presentation and behind-the-scenes tour led by Wyatt Hoekstra, Technical Support Captain, and Krista Malowski, Training Support Captain.
The visit provided valuable insight into the role Emergency Communications Specialists (ECS) play in coordinating fire response across Edmonton and highlighted the importance of collaboration between infrastructure projects and emergency services.
Supporting emergency response across Edmonton
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services serves a population of more than 1.24 million residents through 31 fire stations located across the city. Two additional stations are planned to open in 2029 to support Edmonton’s continued growth.
ECS currently dispatch resources for the City of Edmonton and coordinate a range of frontline apparatus, including pumps, rescues, ladders, tankers and District Chiefs.
Operations are managed from two dispatch centres located in central and west Edmonton. Together, these facilities provide continuous emergency communications services 24 hours a day.
From 911 call to emergency response
When someone calls 911, the call is first answered by the Primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) before being transferred to police, EMS, or fire services, depending on the nature of the emergency.
Once a fire-related call reaches EFRS Emergency Communications, evaluators gather key information, including the caller’s location, contact information and details about the incident. Using established emergency protocols, they assess the situation while dispatchers coordinate the appropriate response.
The communications team works to meet the performance standards established by NFPA Standard 1225. The goal is to evaluate 90 per cent of emergency calls within 60 seconds and dispatch responding crews within 30 seconds.
The volume of calls managed by the team reflects the scale of the operation. In 2025, EFRS Emergency Communications handled more than 116,000 events, including emergency incidents, training exercises and duplicate calls. Call volumes also increase during the summer months when wildfires, grass fires, flooding and severe weather become more common. In the winter months, calls increase with thawing and freezing of pipes that set off alarms.
Technology that supports emergency communications
The tour included an overview of the technology used by the ECS to manage emergency incidents.
Each communications console integrates multiple systems, including radio communications, call evaluation software, dispatch software, mapping tools, telephones and business applications. These systems provide ECS with the information they need to coordinate emergency response as efficiently as possible.
One tool explained during the visit was EmergencyLocate. When appropriate, call evaluators can send a text message to a caller that allows them to securely share their location. This helps responders locate individuals more quickly when they are unable to provide an exact address.
The team also learned about EFRS’s growing use of drone technology and also saw a demo of three different drone units being tested remotely across Edmonton. District Chiefs receive specialized drone training, and drones are becoming an increasingly valuable resource for monitoring incidents, improving situational awareness and supporting emergency operations.
Preparing for every situation
Technology plays an important role in emergency communications, but EFRS also prepares for situations where those systems may be unavailable.
Twice each month, dispatch staff conduct manual dispatch exercises using only paper records and radio communications. These exercises ensure staff are prepared to continue coordinating emergency response during a complete technology outage, without computer-aided dispatch, mobile data terminals, GPS routing or automated station alerts.
The exercises reinforce the importance of maintaining reliable emergency communications under any circumstances.
Why construction information matters
Construction activity is constantly changing, and road conditions can change quickly as work progresses.
Throughout the Valley Line West LRT project, MIP provides EFRS with advance notice of planned road closures, lane restrictions and traffic changes. This information helps dispatchers understand current road conditions and supports route planning for emergency response vehicles.
While emergency responders have procedures that allow them to navigate traffic differently than the travelling public, having accurate construction information helps ensure ECS have the most current information available when coordinating a response.
The visit also included an opportunity to observe the live dispatch centre in operation. Watching Emergency Communications Specialists manage active incidents demonstrated the focus, coordination and professionalism required to support first responders across Edmonton every day.
Working together to support Edmonton
Infrastructure projects rely on strong partnerships with emergency services, municipal partners and the community.
The visit to Edmonton Fire Rescue Services Emergency Communications Centre provided MIP with a greater understanding of how construction information supports emergency response planning and reinforced the value of ongoing communication throughout the Valley Line West LRT project.
By continuing to share timely and accurate traffic impact information, MIP is helping emergency responders navigate changing road conditions while construction progresses across the city.