(Image Credit: Curtis Goodrum / CFJC Today)

By Curtis Goodrum

FIRE ALARMS

New residential false alarm policy is a game-changer for Kamloops Fire Rescue

Mar 18, 2026 | 6:32 PM

KAMLOOPS – A new policy was recently approved by Kamloops city council which allows firefighters to not respond as they traditionally have to false fire alarm calls at residential properties. The change is happening because firefighters are rushing out to those calls more often and tying up resources to do it.

“Even before I started here, hearing from members that it was a waste of resources when someone calls in to confirm it is a false alarm and there’s no emergency yet. We were continuing to the scene to get confirmation of what they told us and gather some information for a report,” said Kamloops Fire Rescue (KFR) Chief Ken Uzeloc. 

City council voted in favour of the change last Tuesday (March 10), with Deputy Mayor Stephen Karpuk calling it a financial win for the city.

“What we’ve now done is allow KFR to say we’ve got confirmation this is a false call and we don’t have to allocate resources and then shunt other resources when other emergencies come up. It made fiscal sense and council went for it,” said Karpuk. 

Having 500 false alarm calls hinders how effective the fire rescue team can be. Karpuk says the new policy will better help the city manage its fire crews’ resources.

The Creative Edge

PEARCE: When fear hits our schools

Mar 17, 2026

Transgender Rights

Demonstration planned to support Kamloops transgender community

Mar 16, 2026

Question of the Week

If the price of gasoline hits $2.00 per litre, would that influence your driving habits or travel plans?

Mar 16, 2026

“In the end, it’s a good thing to create a policy that says, ‘If it’s truly a false call, don’t go.’ I think that’s what we’re going to trust our staff to come up with. There’s criteria that they’ll determine. I mean, if you see smoke, there’s probably a reason to go if it’s confirmed by a person on site,” said Karpuk. 

Uzeloc says call volumes are increasing year over year and avoiding residential false alarms is a good step in avoiding stretching the system too far.

“We’re seeing our call volume pushing from the last few years, from 9,500 up to almost 11,000 calls a year. We’re seeing that rise. I would much rather have our resources going to true emergencies than not,” said Uzeloc. 

If a residential or commercial property owner has multiple false alarm calls, KFR does have the right to fine that person.