Fort St. John
The original Fort St. John was established as Rocky Mountain Fort in 1794, making Fort St. John the oldest white settlement in mainland British Columbia. In 1942, Fort St. John became field headquarters for U.S. Army troops and civilian engineers working on construction of the Alaska Highway in the eastern sector.
Fort St. John has a population of about 21,000 residents and is the largest city in Northeastern BC. It is situated along the world-famous Alaska Highway. Fort St. John is located at Historic Milepost 47 of the Alaska Highway, 47 miles north of Dawson Creek where Mile 0 is located and marks the beginning of the Alaska Hwy.
Fort St. John is known as The Energetic City for their large resource base of oil, natural gas, forestry and agriculture.
The Fort St. John Fire Department was established in 1942. The department provides fire inspection services, fire investigation, public safety and education programs, as well as municipal support for emergency and disaster preparedness.
Fort St. John Fire Department was established in 1942. The current fire station was built in 2013. There are 30 members including day officers and suppression members.
There are 12 vehicles, some include:
Engine 1 - 2017 Spartan Gladiator Classic LFD
Tower 1 - 2012 Spartan Gladiator Classic LFD
Rescue 1 - 2010 Spartan Gladiator Classic GA42H-2142 ELFD
Tender 1 - 2010 Spartan Gladiator Classic MFD
Haz-Mat 1 - 2019 Spartan Metro Star LA2M02LDA1 SMFD 24" RR
Brush 1 - 2014 Ram 5500 4x4
Engine 19 - 2000 American LaFrance Metropolitan 148
2020 Chevrolet Silverado w/canopy
Command - 201? GMC Sierra 3500HD 4x4
Ford F-350
The Fort St John Fire Department responds to an average of 800 incidents every year including:
Fire suppression
Medical response
Vehicle incidents
Hazardous material incidents
And other technical rescues such a high angle and confined space
"History
After the tragic loss of two young children in a fire, residents of Fort St. John decided to start the first fire fighting brigade. Established in 1942, volunteers equipped a second-hand truck with buckets, spades, axes, and other rudimentary gear. The truck was stations at Bert Bowes and Bradin Herron’s garage on the main east-west road in town; volunteers dug a large hole on the northwest corner of the main crossroad and installed a water cistern. To alert the brigade, a post with a rope and bell was erected and when the bell rang, almost all businesses had a designated person to answer the call.
The Fort St. John fire division was completely manned by volunteers until 1964 when the City hired its first paid chief – Carl Lutz. In 1971, the City hired its first paid fire fighters and the fire department evolved into the team we know and trust today."
Source: Fort St. John