W. Bruce Burrell
Since joining the Calgary Fire Department (CFD) in August 2005, Bruce Burrell has remained committed to the CFD's vision that it will become "the international fire service leader". To that end, he has expanded the fire service to meet the needs of a rapidly growing city through the addition of new stations, staff and fire emergency vehicles.
In 2009, the department achieved its third accreditation with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, becoming one of only three fire departments across North America to do so.
Chief Burrell has worked to broaden the fire department's public contacts through fire- prevention and injury-prevention initiatives. His goal is for the CFD to reach one in 10 Calgarians annually through non-emergency initiatives. In 2009, those programs touched one in 11 residents.
The Chief also implemented a career-development staff training program for firefighters. Training has increased for firefighters in stations and for recruits. In 2009, 105 new recruits were trained and hired to meet department growth requirements and to replace retiring firefighters.
Among his prime goals is to see safer infrastructure built in Calgary communities by addressing issues such as construction materials and the distance separating homes. Working with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and National Research Council, Chief Burrell is seeking improved standards through a combination of changes to the National Safety Code and studies on fire behaviour. The aim is to see structures built that are safe for inhabitants and less dangerous for firefighters battling fires.
Chief Burrell has been an instructor at the Emergency Management College in Ottawa and Dalhousie University. He has taught courses in personnel management for fire officers, disaster management for fire officers, emergency operations centre management, emergency site management and the CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Radiological and Explosive) first responders program at the intermediate level.
Chief Burrell oversees a management team of nine deputy chiefs, one of whom has the primary responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day activities of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency, and a staff of approximately 1,550 employees. Prior to joining the CFD, he was a Deputy Chief with the Halifax Fire Department.
