Protective Services had an active year in 2025, responding to hundreds of incidents across the County of Vermilion River (CVR) while balancing training, prevention and community engagement.
According to year-end statistics from County of Vermilion River Protective Services, fire, public safety and emergency management teams were consistently active across rural communities throughout the year.
Fire Services
County fire departments responded to 500 calls for service in 2025. This total does not include responses within the Town of Vermilion or the villages of Kitscoty, Marwayne and Paradise Valley.
Medical calls accounted for the largest share at 115, followed by 108 motor vehicle collisions and 68 mutual aid responses supporting neighbouring jurisdictions.
Fire crews also responded to 58 outside fires, 36 alarms, 13 rescues, and 10 structure fires. Additional calls included hazardous materials incidents, smoke investigations, air or rail responses and vehicle fires.
Beyond emergency response, fire services issued 949 fire permits during the year, highlighting ongoing prevention and public safety efforts across the county.
Public Safety and Bylaw Enforcement
Public Safety officers handled 297 calls for service in 2025, excluding routine patrols, traffic warnings and infrastructure protection.
Municipal bylaw complaints made up 83 calls, while 51 Traffic Safety Act-related calls were recorded. Officers also responded to 36 requests for public assistance, 21 animal control calls, and conducted 16 school bus and school zone patrols.
Other duties included crime prevention initiatives, joint force operations, assistance to partner agencies and election-related work.
Emergency Management
Emergency management staff monitored 131 events throughout the year, with transportation-related incidents leading the list at 40 events.
Extreme weather prompted 27 responses, while 19 health-related events, 16 communications issues, and 6 utility-related incidents were tracked. Alerts issued by RCMP accounted for six monitored events.
Officials say the data reflects the broad scope of work required to keep residents informed and prepared during emergencies of all sizes.
Protective Services officials note that the numbers only tell part of the story, with countless additional hours dedicated to training, planning meetings and public education aimed at reducing risk and improving response across the county.
