Saskatoon Fire - News Releases

Today the Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) is pleased to announce that Assistant Chief Doug Wegren (WEE’-grin) will assume the role of Fire Chief effective May 16. Chief Wegren will replace Morgan Hackl who retired in March after 36 years of service with SFD. 

“Doug is a strong and collaborative leader who has built close ties with the Saskatoon community,” says Jeff Jorgenson, City Manager. “He has an impressive 25-year career at SFD progressing through increasing levels of job responsibility and accountability. Through his work at SFD, he has developed strong relationships with colleagues and community partners and demonstrated exceptional leadership across all areas of the fire service.” 

Wegren attended the University of Saskatchewan, graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education, and later received his Fire Service Administration certificate and Fire Service Leadership certificate from Dalhousie University. 

In 1999, Wegren started his career with SFD as a Firefighter and EMT. He progressed through the ranks, taking on a variety of roles and responsibilities including F.I.R.E. Cadet Instructor, Fire Service Instructor, Restorative Action Lead, Assistant Chief of Logistics, and Acting Fire Chief. Wegren also played an active role in the City's emergency COVID response. He participated in the City of Saskatoon's Emergency Command Centre, Emergency Management Operations planning section, SFD's Tactical Operations Centre, and engaged with the vulnerable sector. 

“I am humbled by the opportunity to lead such an esteemed fire service in the community that I call home,” says Wegren. “As the new Fire Chief, I am committed to working collaboratively with our partners and all orders of government to meet the evolving needs of our community. It is an honor to work with the exceptional individuals at SFD, and I am excited to lead a dedicated team in providing emergency response to the residents of Saskatoon and the surrounding area.”

In partnership with the Railway Association of Canada, the Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) is proud to host a Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response (TRANSCAER) training event from May 15-17, 2024, focused on road and railway response.

The road and railway training will take place at the Regional Training Facility in Corman Park over three days and feature presentations by railway personnel, as well as hands-on learning opportunities. The training is intended to inform emergency responders about the different features of railway tank cars and evaluate teams’ emergency response plans by working through scenarios, assessing available equipment and identifying ways to quickly communicate with residents.

“Effective emergency response begins with planning and preparation,” says Anthony Tataryn, Assistant Fire Chief. “SFD is proud to bring a TRANSCAER event back to Saskatchewan. It’s a great opportunity for emergency responders to engage in transportation emergency training and gain valuable hands-on experience. This collaboration with industry experts and emergency response organizations has truly fulfilled the intention of our Regional Training Facility and we’re eager to host more training events like this in the future for the greater benefit of our communities.”

“The Railway Association of Canada and our member railways are proud to partner with CIAC, its members and partners to ensure the safe transportation of Dangerous Goods by rail. Engaging with First Responders and providing hands-on training is essential to keeping communities safe,” says Scott Croome, Director, Dangerous Goods, Railway Association of Canada.