CITY OF CHILLIWACK 2025 Annual Report 36 37 2025 Annual Report CITY OF CHILLIWACK STRATEGIC GOAL #9: COMMUNITY SAFETY Continue to enhance Emergency Management and Fire & Life Safety through a wide range of municipal services while supporting RCMP and public safety initiatives. HOW WE WILL GET THERE WHAT WE ACHIEVED IN 2025 FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY Provide effective fire and life safety education to the community and increase safety in multi-family residential buildings and gated communities. Continued using a risk-based fire inspection program for properties. Analyzed fire incident data to identify trends and emerging risks in the community, using findings to inform through public education and inspection priorities. Focused on large-scale fire and life safety and emergency preparedness events to engage and educate the maximum number of community members. Collaborated with City departments to ensure safety measures are met in new development projects. Initiated onboarding of a new fire incident management system to enhance inspection tracking, incident documentation, and future preincident planning capabilities. Installation of GPS pre-emption systems at five signalized intersections for improved fire department response times. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS Prepare for response and recovery of the city in times of disaster and work with First Nations to integrate emergency plans. Exercised the City’s Emergency Response and Recovery Plan through two tabletop exercises. Commenced First Nations engagement on Emergency Management in accordance with the BC Emergency and Disaster Management Act. Recruited and trained five additional Emergency Support Services (ESS) volunteers. Completed renovations to the Emergency Operations Centre. Continued to focus on capacity building and sharing resources and training opportunities with local First Nations. FIREFIGHTERS Continued firefighter staffing requirement planning and increase quality and quantity of firefighter training and education. Continued the training passport system to support firefighter and fire officer training and professional development. Continued on-site improvements at the fire training centre, including construction for the Live Fire Training Structure. Hired five additional full-time career firefighters. Refined new promotional process focused on enhancing career officer development. Implemented crews of four firefighters, to be on Engines 1 and 4, at all times. Implemented a third career apparatus staffed with two firefighters, when staffing permits. Trained and equipped career and Paid On-Call firefighters in preparation to respond to interface fires. Provided additional training and education to support firefighter development. STRATEGIC GOAL #9 CONTINUED: COMMUNITY SAFETY Continue to enhance Emergency Management and Fire & Life Safety through a wide range of municipal services while supporting RCMP and public safety initiatives. HOW WE WILL GET THERE WHAT WE ACHIEVED IN 2025 TRAFFIC SAFETY Support road safety initiatives, working with RCMP and ICBC. Continued Safe Roads initiatives that provided motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists with road safety knowledge to reduce crash statistics. Hosted the annual Chilliwack Safety Fair, sharing safety tips from community partners with hundreds of community members. Continued updating a dedicated rail safety web page and regular advertising providing tips and reminders for all road users on safe rail crossing choices. Endorsed the Vision Zero Safe Systems approach, committing to working towards a future with zero deaths and fatalities on roads. Purchased two mobile speed reader boards to be used in high-concern areas, encouraging drivers to slow down. Awarded the Roger Cyr Award from Operation Life Saver, in recognition for the City’s collaboration with CN Rail to reduce trespassing along rail tracks. Completed substantial construction for corridor safety improvements on Luckakuck Way including a new traffic signal, concrete medians, designated left turn lanes, and a multi-use pathway. SAFE PUBLIC SPACES Improve the safety of parks and public spaces. Continued mobile security patrols including four patrol vehicles working overnight, and one additional two guard patrol in the downtown and Downtown Chilliwack Business Improvement Association area. Night patrols ensured any temporary shelters in parks were removed at the prescribed time. Continued using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles in park and public space upgrades. Conducted high visibility patrols with RCMP, Bylaw Officers and security teams throughout the downtown core and various commercial areas.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODc2MA==