Planning for Fort Saskatchewan's second fire hall is in the proposed 2025 capital budget.

The fire hall, to be located on Southridge Boulevard next to Heartland Ford, is now expected to be built in 2027 and cost about $19.8 million. The 2025 budget sets aside $2.2 million for planning of this project.

A sign has been up at the site of the Helmuth Ritter Fire Station since 2017. it is named in honour of a long-time veteran member of the local force.

The new hall will not replace the existing Walter Thomas fire hall on 93 Avenue, but will put some fire trucks closer to our new neighbourhoods

Response times have been a problem in recent years. Fire trucks are supposed to arrive at a fire no more than 10 minutes after an emergency call is made, but in recent years Fort Saskatchewan trucks have taken an average of up to 17 minutes to respond.

The recent expansion of our full-time fire staff has greatly improved this response time, such that the 10 minute goal is now achieved more than 90 per cent of the time.

But Fort Saskatchewan's is now planning new neighbourhoods located even further from the current hall.