Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing many industries, but when it comes to emergency services, local firefighters believe the technology will serve as an assistant rather than a replacement.
Mitchell Mann, a senior firefighter with the Lesser Slave Regional Fire Service, says while AI has many uses, the physical and human demands of firefighting cannot be automated.
“When it comes down to the actual physical labour, it is not something we need to worry about replacing at this point in time,” Mann says.
He points to the 2019 Notre Dame Cathedral fire in Paris as an example of early technological interventions. During that incident, remote-controlled robots were sent into the burning structure to gather information and deploy water.
While Mann referred to the machines as resembling tiny remote controlled cars, the robot deployed in Paris was actually an 1,100-pound machine named Colossus.
According to its manufacturer, Shark Robotics, Colossus used a motorized water cannon capable of firing more than 660 gallons per minute, keeping human firefighters out of a dangerously hot environment.
Mann notes that while they kept humans safe in areas with no life at risk, the technology is still in its early stages, and humans are still required for the core physical work.
Instead of taking over the physical work, Mann sees AI acting as a tool for planning and education.
He says the technology could help departments develop safety pre-plans for the town and assist in fire investigations by noting specific details.
In the classroom, AI is already making an impact.
Firefighters are using programs like ChatGPT to better understand complex textbook materials.
“AI is great at assisting people in understanding concepts or describing them better than a textbook, especially since everybody learns differently,” Mann says.
This openness to new tools is part of a broader push to modernize the department.
Mann notes that the fire service is always looking to upgrade its technology.
He says they used to report all events using pen and paper, but that process is now handled entirely digitally.
He also points to several recent, tech-forward upgrades inside their fire trucks and response vehicles as part of this ongoing evolution.
When it comes to tracking and predicting large-scale emergencies like wildfires in the surrounding boreal forest, Mann suspects provincial forestry teams are already using AI models to fine-tune historical data regarding fuel moisture, humidity, temperatures, and wind directions. His speculation is accurate.
According to Edmonton-based software company AltaML, they have partnered with Alberta Wildfire to create a digital dashboard that uses a decade of fire, weather, and ecological data to calculate the likelihood of a wildfire breaking out the next day.
The program is correct 80 per cent of the time it predicts a fire will happen, serving as an effective support tool for fire managers.
Despite these advancements, Mann is adamant that AI has no place on the other end of a 911 call. While some non-emergency call centres have shifted to automated digital helpers, he argues that emergency dispatch requires a level of empathy and quick problem-solving that technology simply cannot replicate.
“There is always a need for the human element,” Mann says.
“If you cannot understand basic tones of voice, recognize when people are in dire need of help, or problem-solve on the fly—AI just isn’t built for that.”
He notes that people already find automated answering services frustrating when dealing with everyday tasks like banking.
In a life-or-death scenario, miscommunication with a robot could be disastrous.
“Imagine calling 911 and a robot picks up, asks how it can help, but misunderstands and sends an ambulance when you need a fire truck,” Mann says.
“People need human interaction, and that is one of the last things you will ever see go away in emergency services.”
Ultimately, Mann views AI as a vast resource that is already quietly helping emergency responders, but the core of the job remains firmly in human hands.
“AI in the fire service is currently an assistant, and it will probably stay that way for quite some time,” he says.
Armaan Khanna
Local Journalism Initiative
Reporter