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Our commitment to diversity

The Calgary Fire Department proudly serves a diverse population in Calgary. Similarly, we are committed to building and sustaining an inclusive work environment - one that supports, respects and values individuals for their unique identity, experiences, perspectives, talents and contributions.

We are working to continually create and maintain a culture of inclusion by training our staff and leaders, reviewing our systems and policies from an inclusive and anti-oppression lens and offering support and resources.  

The City has a Respectful Workplace Policy and related e-learning course which all CFD employees are required to read, understand, and follow. There are also corporate plans and strategies in place to increase overall awareness and competence on bias equity, equality, respect and inclusion, and take actions to best serve and support a diverse city.

Any harassment or discrimination is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We take all allegations very seriously, and investigations have been, and will continue to be, conducted.

How we are evolving

We are committed to creating lasting change and making ongoing improvements in our culture. We are building awareness, expanding our knowledge and engaging our people in solutions.

In 2016, CFD created a Respect & Inclusion team to help develop a fire service which welcomes and supports all staff. This team continues to work with CFD leadership and staff on many initiatives, including, but not limited to:

  • Assembling an Advisory Council on Inclusion and partnering with the International Association of Firefighters Local 255 Union to develop a Joint Human Relations Council made up of employees
  • Assessing CFD programs, initiatives, policies and procedures from an inclusive, equitable and anti-oppressive perspective
  • Educating and supporting our supervisors, managers and officers in being inclusive leaders
  • Working with our colleagues at The City of Calgary to create a Safe Disclosure Office that any CFD employee can report concerns to and access for advice and consultation
  • Creating a youth camp for girls (in partnership with the Calgary Public Library)
  • Our Community Safety team intentionally engages with diverse communities in Calgary to educate home and business owners, as well as school students, about fire safety
  • Reimagining our Chaplaincy program to incorporate an inter-faith approach

Reporting concerns

Employees can talk to their supervisor, their HR business partner, Health and Safety, Corporate HR, the City of Calgary Respectful Workplace office, Union representatives, members of CFD’s Respect & Inclusion team or Corporate Security employees. CFD also has a Wellness Centre with mental health resources and counselling options, which are free for all CFD members.

All CFD, City employees and Calgarians can use the Whistle-Blower Program to report suspected acts of wrongdoing at the workplace. This is a confidential process which supports The City’s ongoing effort to support open, ethical, accountable and transparent local government. The City is committed to creating and maintaining a positive corporate culture in which employees and members of the public report acts of waste and/or wrongdoing, in good faith, without fear of reprisal, and in which individuals are held accountable.​

Active bystander strategies

Direct

Step in and directly address the behaviour and/or redirect attention to yourself and away from the person being targeted.

Point out inappropriate behaviour in a safe, respectful manner.

Distract

Use if you don't want to confront the issue directly but would like to focus the attention on something else.

Change the topic completely to move the energy away from the person who's being targeted.

Delegate

Go to someone who has authority in the situation and seek their help (e.g. an officer or leader).

Use this approach when you know something is wrong but you don't feel comfortable intervening yourself.

Delay

Check in with the targeted person after the incident.

This lets the targeted person know that you observed the behaviour and you can ask if there is anything you can do to support them.

Calgary Fire - Diversity
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