Safety in the classroom: Calgary Fire appeals to educators, parents and students for their continued partnership in annual School Fire Drill Program

Calgary firefighters visit hundreds of schools across the city annually to perform school fire drills. All schools in Calgary must complete six fire drills per school year, and one of these drills should be attended by the Calgary Fire Department (CFD).

Through this program, firefighters and school staff can practice and access their evacuation procedures, reinforce life safety messages with students and families and connect teachers with fire safety educational resources.

The drills also reinforce the importance of planning and rehearsing an escape plan not only at school, but at the children’s homes. CFD’s appeal for fire safety awareness comes at a time where residential fires are on the rise. Although overall fire-related incidents were comparable to last year’s levels, Calgary’s single-family residential fires were up over 28% in September 2026 compared to 2025.

On October 22, members of CFD, along with representatives from the Calgary Catholic School District, conducted a school fire drill at St. Elizabeth Seton School. Fire Chief Steve Dongworth, along with newly-appointed Junior Fire Chief Kean Hallisey, activated the fire alarm in the school, ensuring that it works, while evacuating children and staff safely. They also emphasized the importance of having a home escape plan in the event of an emergency.

Greg Moore, Senior Officer, Occupational Health & Safety, Calgary Catholic School District said “by teaching our students about fire prevention and the importance of making safe choices, we’re helping them build habits that can protect themselves, their families, their schools and their communities. We’re grateful to the Calgary Fire Department for helping bring these lessons to life for our students”.

“CFD is actively working with all the schools in Calgary to teach children about the importance of fire safety and practicing escape plans at home with their families” said Fire Chief Steve Dongworth. “We’re helping students to build habits that protect themselves, their families and their schools.”

To learn more about school fire drills, visit calgary.ca/schoolfiredrills

-30-