Van Fire Fighters

It's a system built for speed. Over time, Vancouver's firefighters learn their truck's tones so well they almost stop hearing the others. It's very impressive when you think about it. One of the small, unspoken skills that comes with the job. #Vancouver #FireFighters 🧵 2/2

Did you know that every rig in Vancouver has its own dispatch tone? When a call comes in dispatch sends alert tones before a single word is spoken, and every truck in the city has a slightly different sequence. The moment those tones hit, that crew knows that one's ours. 🧵 1/2

Firefighters rescued both, treating them on scene with pet masks and saline for minor burns. 11 units, 48 firefighters. The fire was contained to the one suite, and all residents were able to return to their homes. #Vancouver #FireFighters #FireService #FirstResponders 🧵 2/2

Saturday evening, our members responded to a 2nd alarm apartment fire on West 14th. Fire and smoke were showing from the 10th floor of an 11-storey concrete building on arrival. The apartment was unoccupied, but two dogs were inside. 🧵 1/2

The crew you work beside, the hall you share, that connection matters more than most people realize. Check in on your brothers and sisters this week. Not just the ones who seem like they're struggling. All of them. #Vancouver #FireFighters #MentalHealthWeek 🧵 2/2

This week is CMHA Mental Health Week. The 2026 theme is Come Together, Canada and that hits close to home for us. Firefighters see things others don't. We carry things others can't imagine. But we don't carry them alone. 🧵 1/2

In Solidarity is our series spotlighting the people behind the gear, sharing the stories, motivations, and daily realities of the members and leaders that make IAFF Local 18 strong. #Vancouver #FireFighters #FirstResponders #FireService #EverydayHeroes #FirefighterLife 🧵 2/2

Cody Dunn has been a firefighter for three years, working out of 2 Hall in the Downtown Eastside. In this episode of In Solidarity, he talks about what drew him to the job, what the reality of the work actually looks like, and how he stays sharp for the job. 🧵 1/2

... fire fighters, is committed to working alongside Vancouver residents to keep driving those numbers down. #Vancouver #FireFighters #YVR #FireSafety #CommunitySafety 🧵 3/3

Behind every response is a member who showed up ready, whether it was the first call of the shift or the last. That dedication doesn't stop at the fire ground. Through community engagement and fire safety outreach, IAFF Local 18, the union representing your ... 🧵 2/3

Vancouver fire fighters responded to 3,792 fires in 2025, a 5% decrease from the year before. It's encouraging progress, but with numbers still nearly double what they were in 2017, there's no question that the work continues. 🧵 1/3

Our thoughts are with his family and all of Local 1075. Rest easy, Brother. 3/3

Jimmy dedicated years to fighting for presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters in Newfoundland and Labrador, and kept fighting even after his own diagnosis in 2018. His advocacy helped protect members across eastern Canada and beyond. 2/3

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Brother Jimmy O'Toole, President of St. John's Local 1075, who died from occupational cancer. 1/3

In Solidarity is our ongoing series featuring the members and leaders who make IAFF Local 18 stronger. One conversation at a time, we're putting faces to the work and voices to the people who show up for this city every day. #Vancouver #FireFighters #FirstResponders 🧵 2/2

For Firefighter Colvin O'Driscoll, the best part of the job is the people he works alongside. From a childhood moment that sparked the dream to life at Hall 2 in the DTES, Colvin shares what drew him to fire service, and what keeps him motivated every shift. 🧵 1/2

... already wearing their gear and ready to go — no time wasted suiting up on the sidewalk. When you're responding to a working fire, every second you save getting ready is another second you have to help someone inside. #Vancouver #FireFighters #FireService #FireTruck 🧵 3/3

Instead of storing them in a compartment somewhere on the truck, they're built directly into the seats. So when a firefighter sits down and buckles in, they're also strapping into their air supply at the same time. By the time the truck arrives on scene, they're ... 🧵 2/3

Ever looked at the inside of a fire truck and wondered why the seats look so strange? Those frames mounted to the seatbacks are air tanks (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus, or SCBAs) the same ones you see firefighters wearing on their backs at a fire scene. 🧵 1/3

It's never okay to park or stop in front of a fire hydrant. When Vancouver's fire fighters need that hydrant, they need it now, and your vehicle in the way costs them time they don't have. Lives depend on that access. No exceptions. #Vancouver #FireFighters #FireService