Darkhorse Emergency

Darkhorse Emergency Darkhorse Emergency offers proven, evidence-based solutions to the critical issues faced by emergenc Our focus is to improve your response performance.

We help you make intelligent, intuitive, data driven decisions. Our tools are designed from the ground up for emergency services professionals. They incorporate advanced analytics and intuitive visualizations to support better decision-making. Our consulting engagements are customized to your service, use your data, and provide actionable recommendations focused on your challenges and tailored to

your needs. Our goal is to raise the level of decision-making throughout the industry. Our case studies, articles, and training materials help you transition your culture to one that combines evidence with experience.

Strathcona County had two urban stations covering a community that had grown 20% in under a decade. Performance was suff...
05/19/2026

Strathcona County had two urban stations covering a community that had grown 20% in under a decade. Performance was suffering, and they needed to make the case for a third station.

They used Darkhorse Response to model road networks, drive times, and call volumes 15 years into the future. The result wasn't a gut feeling. It was a mathematically optimal location that decision-makers could see and test for themselves. Every "what if" answered with a click.

The third station opened in 2013. A year later, actual performance was within 1% of what the model predicted five years earlier.

Today, SCES has three future station locations mapped across different growth scenarios, updated regularly with the latest census data. They know when and where to build next before performance targets are ever at risk.

16 municipalities. 5-7 new stations to build. Everyone had an opinion on where they should go.Several existing stations ...
05/11/2026

16 municipalities. 5-7 new stations to build. Everyone had an opinion on where they should go.

Several existing stations were already in less-than-ideal spots from a regional perspective. With more on the way, United Fire's leadership knew they couldn't afford to repeat that. They needed the numbers to find the right locations and the tools to prove it to every stakeholder in the room.

Using Darkhorse, they modeled every scenario and saw something unexpected: adjusting a few of the individually planned sites would save millions in capital costs while actually improving response times across the district. A regional win hiding in plain sight.

Then came the hard part. Assistant Chief Burchett went community by community, laptop in hand, walking 16 mayors through the tradeoffs. The platform made each conversation simple: here's what you gain, here's what it costs, here's why this is the best location for the next 50 years.

All 16 aligned on one plan. Millions saved. Better coverage for everyone.

The full case study: https://hubs.la/Q04g5W5V0

05/05/2026

Station planning is one of the more complex decisions a department makes. The choice shapes response times for the next 30 years and carries millions in capital cost.

We've spent over a decade applying analytics to these decisions across departments of every size. The guide distills what we've learned into a practical framework for the field.

Inside, we cover how to model demand, evaluate scenarios, and build a recommendation you can defend in front of council.

ICYMI, you can access the guide here: https://hubs.la/Q04ds1Pz0

Many departments' response times may be bottlenecked. Do you know where the culprits lie, and how to address them?Odessa...
04/27/2026

Many departments' response times may be bottlenecked. Do you know where the culprits lie, and how to address them?

Odessa Fire Rescue found theirs hiding in the dispatch protocol. Over 1,500 call types meant 3+ minutes of delay before a single unit could roll.

With Darkhorse Response, they pinpointed the problem, simplified dispatch to 5 codes, and cut 2 full minutes from their call handling time. That translates to an estimated 97 more lives saved each year.

The same improvement through new stations alone? Over $100M.

Every piece of your response performance tells a story. Call processing. Turnout. Travel time.

Darkhorse Response helps you see where the time is going, so you can fix what matters most.

Darkhorse Emergency will be at the CPSE Excellence Conference this week.We've been heads-down building new features for ...
03/09/2026

Darkhorse Emergency will be at the CPSE Excellence Conference this week.

We've been heads-down building new features for Darkhorse Emergency that help you produce a rigorous, high-quality risk assessment in record time. One we're excited about: three-axis risk assessments, built right into the platform.

If you're at the conference and want to see what we've been working on, come find us. We'd love to show you.

As we approach Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Week 2026 (January 19–25), we are reflecting on how we serve the vital mis...
01/16/2026

As we approach Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Week 2026 (January 19–25), we are reflecting on how we serve the vital mission of making our communities safer, more resilient, and better prepared.

Our goal with Darkhorse Risk is to create an advanced Community Risk Assessment that is accessible, intuitive, always up-to-date, and presentation-ready.

Reducing call volume requires a sophisticated look at the root causes of emergencies. Our work attempts to enable exploration of that sophistication with clarity and ease.

We built Darkhorse Risk to empower departments to understand their communities in ways never possible before.

Read more about CRR week: https://hubs.la/Q03_9THw0

Read more about Darkhorse Risk: https://hubs.la/Q03_9X3M0

11/19/2025

CPSE Accreditation is often something departments think about “when they have time.”

But the departments that’ve gone through it will tell you: it changes far more than your binders and benchmarks.

Accreditation builds credibility, sure.

But it also does the things you feel every day:

✓ clearer communication
✓ stronger labour–management relationships
✓ more ownership from your teams
✓ better decisions rooted in actual data
✓ leaders developing at every level

If you’ve wondered whether it’s worth the effort or what benefits exist far beyond the checklist, join us on December 4th, 9:30 MT.

Darrell Reid is hosting a webinar to unpack the obvious—and the not-so-obvious—value of accreditation.

You’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of what it does for your culture, strategy, and long-term resilience.

Register now: https://hubs.la/Q03V3FG40

Our Community Risk Assessment product, Darkhorse Risk, has been awarded the 2025 Firehouse Magazine Innovation Award.The...
10/15/2025

Our Community Risk Assessment product, Darkhorse Risk, has been awarded the 2025 Firehouse Magazine Innovation Award.

The Darkhorse Emergency team has worked hard to build a reliable CRA tool for fire departments. Our work has allowed fire departments to explore risk in their community in intuitive and innovative ways.

This results in strong, data-backed community risk reduction plans.

Thank you Firehouse Magazine. We're committed to providing fire chiefs and fire departments innovative solutions they can trust.

Read more: https://hubs.la/Q03NLVKT0

10/08/2025

High-performing fire departments don’t happen by accident.
They’re built on trust. And trust starts with transparency.

Join me next week, October 16 at 9:30 AM MT, as I share how data can help fire chiefs build engagement, alignment, and lasting performance.

- Darrell Reid
Ret. Fire Chief and CAO

👉https://hubs.la/Q03MHHTW0

We recently hosted a webinar introducing and demonstrating Unit Capabilities, a major new feature in Darkhorse Response’...
09/17/2025

We recently hosted a webinar introducing and demonstrating Unit Capabilities, a major new feature in Darkhorse Response’s deployment modeling tool. The replay of the webinar is now available to watch here: https://hubs.la/Q03JS4zf0

The presenters (Jon Billiau, Cameron Wakal, and guest Mike Forbes from Spokane Fire Department) explain how the feature works, why it matters, and what it enables:

• What it is: Unit Capabilities lets departments model the specific capabilities of each apparatus (e.g., pumpers, ladders, medic units, hazmat) rather than treating all vehicles the same.

• How it works: The system incorporates response plans and capability requirements for different incident types (e.g., structure fires requiring certain combinations of pumpers, ladders, chiefs).

• What it enables: More accurate and detailed performance analyses, such as optimizing aerial placement in Brampton, diagnosing bottlenecks in Toronto’s ERF response, and testing medic placement scenarios in Spokane.

• Why it matters: It gives departments confidence in their decisions, replaces guesswork with data, speeds up scenario testing, and helps validate or challenge operational assumptions .

In short: the session showcases how Unit Capabilities provides fire departments with a more precise, scenario-driven way to optimize deployment and resource allocation, supported by real-world examples and client feedback.

09/12/2025

Darkhorse Emergency is hosting a free webinar for Fire Chiefs:

Using Data to Engage Staff, Build Trust, and Drive Performance

In this free webinar, retired Fire Chief Darrell Reid shares hard-won lessons on leading through challenges:
✔ Boosting morale with data
✔ Building trust through transparency
✔ Turning metrics into pride and action

📅 October 16 | 9:30 AM
👉 Register now: https://hubs.la/Q03J3kt40

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10507 Saskatchewan Drive NW
Edmonton, AB
T6E4S1

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1-800-261-1832

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