About Ottawa Fire Services

Our services

OFS responds from 45 stations located across the City of Ottawa. Collectively, these stations provide service to over 950,000 residents across 2,796 square kilometres.

The OFS team is comprised of career fire fighters, volunteer firefighters as well as inspection, education, safety and communications personnel.

When compared to the largest metropolitan fire departments in Canada, OFS serves a geographic area that exceeds the total combined area served by fire services in Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton and Calgary. Additionally, OFS’s coverage is more than four times that of Toronto, Canada’s most populous city.

OFS personnel provide many valuable services to the community including:

Public fire safety education;
Application of fire safety standards and enforcement, including thorough fire cause, origin and circumstance evaluations, Fire Code compliance, investigations, fire inspections and risk assessments;
Effective emergency response, including fire suppression and medical emergency calls, and rescue operations (e.g. water/ice rescue, automobile extrication, confined space, trench, collapse and high angle) and special operations such as responding to hazardous materials calls; and
Recruitment outreach and community engagement campaigns such as Camp FFIT (Female Firefighters in Training).

Learn more about Fire Prevention and Public Education service offerings.

Our divisions

Operations (Urban, Rural and Special Operations)

This division is responsible for Fire Suppression which consists of fire rescue, tiered medical response, training and incident management.

Special Operations is responsible for water/ice rescue, auto extrication, confined space, trench, Fire Support Unit, collapse and high angle rescue; hazardous material responses; wild land fires; Urban Search and Rescue; Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive response)

Training and Safety

The OFS Training Division plays an integral role in helping the Service live up to its mission. Certified instructors are responsible for researching and providing the most up to date training for the entire Fire Service. Suppression staff receive the bulk of training, in the form of monthly or in-station training.

The Training Division also plays a key role in the recruitment and training of new fire fighters to the city.

The goals of the Safety Division are to develop, implement and maintain programs to meet the highest possible level of safety for all Ottawa Fire Services’ personnel. The Division is actively engaged in fostering a culture of safety, learning and service excellence that is supported by a highly reliable Occupational Health and Safety Management System.

Community Standards and Communications:

OFS prides itself on being highly visible within the community and takes as many opportunities as possible to engage and educate the public on fire safety. Education, inspections, investigations and code enforcement are crucial tasks carried out by our Fire Prevention Officers.

We continue to advance our public education programs as the community and population continue to grow. Fire safety programs include inspecting for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, educating the public on the need for escape plans, distributing fire safety educational materials to residential owners and occupants, releasing public service announcements and connecting with residents through social media.

The Communications Division is the nerve center that enables OFS to provide effective fire protection and emergency response across the City of Ottawa. The Communications Division contributes to reducing intervention time (total time from the moment a call for service is received to the moment personnel are on-scene), injuries and loss of life and property due to fires and other emergencies. The Communications Division creates a safer working environment for emergency responders through the transfer of information from bystanders/witnesses to responding personnel.

Operational Support Services:

Provides services requiring expertise to support core operations, programs and/or activities (i.e. shift schedulers, performance analyst, purchasing and contract administration, GIS and FDM support).

Mission, vision and values

Mission

Ottawa Fire Services protects the lives, property, and environment for the residents of and visitors to the City of Ottawa.

Vision

To progressively advance our emergency responses, training, education, prevention and safety standards to meet the ever-evolving needs of our community.
To be a caring, healthy, and diverse workplace that is committed to change.
To be a service that leads with new technology, techniques and equipment,
To be professional, accountable, customer-centric and safety oriented.

Values

Ottawa Fire Services values are standing together, working together, serving together, as reflected by teamwork, honour, integrity, commitment and pride.

Protecting our nation’s capital with honour.

Performance and Key Reports

Key Reports and Documents

Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI)

In 2014, Ottawa Fire Services (OFS) received accredited agency status with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), becoming one of only six (6) accredited agencies in Canada. Since first being accredited, OFS has implemented the Commission’s accreditation model and recommendations, by strengthening our internal culture and labour relations, building positive relationships within our community and by bring at the forefront of innovation and improvement.

OFS is proud to have received its first re-accreditation in 2019, where our efforts were demonstrated by the continuous improvement models developed through the process, including a comprehensive Strategic Plan, a Self-Assessment Manual and a Community Risk Assessment Standards of Cover.

These documents provide a comprehensive look at each division within OFS and its deployment strategies to ensure that we are operating efficiently and effectively in comparison with industry standards. These documents were examined by peer evaluators from the CFAI which includes leaders from fire services around North America and then defended against in front of the board of the Commission for CFAI.

CFAI accreditation is an important pledge to our community that we are striving to offer the best services possible. It is also a confirmation that we are holding ourselves accountable to keep the City of Ottawa safe and secure.

Superior tanker shuttle accreditation

Property owners in rural communities (Districts 6, 7, 8 and 9) may be eligible for improved property insurance rates.

On May 16, 2024 Ottawa Fire Services underwent the Commercial “Superior Tanker Shuttle” testing as part of the Fire Underwriters Survey.

The purpose of the testing is to measure OFS’ ability to deliver an uninterrupted water supply of over 400GPM at the five (5) minute mark of arriving on scene in areas without hydrants (rural). This ability is a key factor (measure) used in the development of Commercial and Personal property insurance rates.

OFS exceeded test requirements, maintaining water flows of over 500GPM for an indefinite period and demonstrated they can meet the emergency needs of the rural communities within the City of Ottawa.

Here is how to see if you qualify for a decreased insurance rate:

(Note: Not all insurance companies recognize this accreditation)

If you live in or are moving to a home located in District 6, 7, 8, or 9 you should advise your existing (or potential) home insurance company that the area has achieved Superior Tanker Shuttle Accreditation
A Fire Underwriters Survey accreditation letter is available to download to send to your insurance agent
Should the insurance agent require further information to recognize the accreditation, please contact Diane Logan at Diane.Logan@ottawa.ca