Some senior staff with Edmonton's fire department have received training in counterterrorism techniques, says Chief Ken Block.

In a year-end interview Thursday, Block said Edmonton Fire Rescue Services staff were offered training after approaching Edmonton police and the Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams (INSET).

Block said the move comes at a time when terrorism events have become more common in Canada. He pointed to incidents in Ottawa, as well as last year's truck attack in Edmonton, which authorities treated as a terrorism incident, although terrorist charges have not been laid.

Block noted that by the end of this month, they will have responded to about 53,400 events in 2018 — taking them to many buildings and locations around the city.

"It's about eyes on the road, eyes on the street," Block said.

"Fire rescue services has 220 [on every shift] and if they have a bit of an idea of what some of the signs of a terrorist activity might be, they can connect with Edmonton police and make them aware."

About 18 senior personnel participated in the three-day training program over the past year. Those who have received the training now receive updates through the Edmonton Police Service and INSET.

Block, who has been chief for a decade, joined Edmonton Fire Rescue Services in 1980 and fought fires for 27 years before he was promoted. He said the job has evolved significantly from his early days because of advances in science, technology, equipment and training, and also in terms of services delivered.

"There's so much more than fire involved in the modern fire service," Block said.

Last year, firefighters began administering the life-saving naloxone medication for overdoses. The department is on track to deploy naloxone more than a 100 times this year which was about the same as last year, said Block.

Calls to respond to life-threatening medical issues, which accounted for 68 per cent of the total calls this year, are up about six per cent from 2017.

The fire department has also done a lot of work to raise awareness about post-traumatic stress injuries, and to deliver mental wellness programs, said Block.

"But I'll tell you what hasn't changed and that's just the quality and the character of the women and men that make up the service," he said. "It's always been of the highest degree and quality and I'm proud to say that we continue to attract the best and the brightest from the region and from across the country.

"What a lot of Edmontonians probably don't realize, because the fire service tends to be quite humble, and so I'm going to toot our horn for a moment for the men and women of Edmonton fire rescue — we're recognized as one of the leading fire services in the world.

"And I can tell you as a fire chief I'm very proud of that. And Edmontonians should be too."