The RM of Taché Fire Department in Manitoba responded to 31 monitored alarm system calls in 2025, marking an 82 per cent increase from the previous year. While the total number of emergency calls remained exactly the same at 138 for both 2024 and 2025, the sharp rise in alarm-related responses has reached its highest level in nearly a decade.
The department operates out of three fire halls in Lorette, Landmark, and Ste. Geneviève and relies on a team of 45 paid on-call firefighters. According to the latest emergency response summary, the last time the community saw this many monitored alarm calls was in 2016 when 38 calls were recorded.
The increase in these types of calls comes as the municipality manages major emergencies, including a propane distribution centre explosion on January 29, 2026, that injured three people. These larger incidents highlight the importance of keeping crews available for high-risk situations rather than attending to automated alarm triggers.
Frequent responses to monitored systems can impact local resources and lead to costs for the municipality and residents. The fire department continues to monitor these trends to ensure that its members are ready to respond to serious fires and medical emergencies across the region.
