About the Bathurst Fire Department
The Bathurst Fire Department provides fire and rescue services to the City of Bathurst, focusing on preventing fires, protecting lives and property, and supporting the community when emergencies occur. It is one of the core Citizen Services offered by the City of Bathurst.
Our History
Fire protection services in Bathurst dates back to 1891, when the service operated under the name Keystone Fire Department.
Until the 1950s, the Department was staffed entirely by volunteers. Since then, it has evolved into a modern service with a mix of full-time and volunteer firefighters supporting the community.
Who We Are Today
Today’s Bathurst Fire Department is made up of:
- Full-time firefighters
- Volunteer firefighters
- Administrative and leadership staff
Members train on an ongoing basis so they can respond to a wide range of emergencies, including structure fires, land and water rescues, hazardous materials incidents and other urgent situations.
Services are offered in both official languages, English and French.
What We Do
The Bathurst Fire Department’s mandate includes several key areas of responsibility:
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Firefighting and emergency response
- Responding to fires, alarms, motor-vehicle collisions and severe weather incidents, often working with regional partners.
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Fire prevention and public education
- Delivering public education and school programs
- Promoting fire-safe behaviour through community outreach and awareness campaigns
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Fire investigations
- Investigating fires to understand their causes and help prevent similar incidents in the future.
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Building inspections and code compliance
- Inspecting buildings to help ensure they meet applicable fire prevention and life-safety codes.
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Burning regulations and permits
- Administering the City’s Burning Regulations and Permits By-law, which governs campfires, open fires and the use of outdoor burning appliances within city limits.
- Issuing burning permits and enforcing conditions outlined in By-law 2017-09.
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Hazardous materials (Hazmat) response
- Bathurst FD has a Hazmat scout team which is able to identify dangerous goods and secure a scene for a heavy provincial hazmat team.
- Maintaining firefighters who are specifically trained to respond to dangerous goods incidents that may threaten public safety.
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Regional training and exercises
- Regular training, including exercises with the Mobile Burn Unit; live-fire burns, roof ventilation and self-rescue scenarios.
Stations and Fleet
The Bathurst Fire Department operates from two core fire stations within Ward 1 of the City:
- Bathurst Fire Station #1 at 256 St. Andrew Street, which also serves as the Department’s main administrative headquarters. Near downtown Bathurst, close to Bathurst High School, Coronation Park and other civic facilities.
- Bathurst Fire Station #2 at 970 Vanier Avenue, a key site for regional training. Located on the west side of Bathurst, with proximity to large residential and commercial areas.
Four other stations are also strategically located to support firefighting efforts in Ward 2:
- 85 Saint-André Road
- 2735 Rough Waters Drive
- 1355 Big River Road
- 3003 North Tetagouche Road
To support its operations, the Department maintains a diverse fleet of emergency vehicles, including:
- Pumper trucks
- Rescue vehicles
- Hazmat vehicles
- A ladder truck
- Boats
- Off-road vehicles
This fleet allows firefighters to respond to many types of calls across Bathurst and to support regional partners when needed.
Careers and Volunteering
Career Firefighters
The City periodically recruits for career firefighter positions. Visit “A career with the Bathurst Fire Department” to learn more.
Details on current opportunities and how to apply are posted on the City’s Employment Opportunities page as they become available.
Volunteer Firefighters
Volunteer firefighters play an essential role in Bathurst’s fire protection model.
- Volunteers support full-time staff at fires, motor-vehicle collisions, alarms and severe weather incidents.
- The Firefighter I course is required for volunteers, and tuition for this course is paid by the Bathurst Fire Department.
- Core onboarding covers safety, personal protective equipment, apparatus familiarization, radio use and emergency scene operations, with ongoing training in areas such as live-fire evolutions, vehicle extrication, ladders, search and rescue and pump operations.
- Paid on-call — you are compensated for meetings, training and responding to emergency incidents.
More information on eligibility, application steps and frequently asked questions is available on the Become a Volunteer Firefighter page on the City’s website.
Contact Us
Bathurst Fire Department
256 St. Andrew Street, Bathurst NB, E2A 1C4
Email: Fire@Bathurst.ca
Telephone: (506) 548-0439
Fax: (506) 549-3299