M.D. of Willow Creek chief gets his due in Ottawa

By Mickey Dumont Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Chief Kelly Starling’s career to date has seen him fill a lot of big shoes and boots when necessary.
In his younger days he was putting out fires around High River, to lighting fires on the bench of Claresholm high school football players. Now, in February 2025, Starling is again to polish his shoes to accept a federal honour in Ottawa: an Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award (EMESA).
“He subscribes to the values of collaborative community practice, knowledge sharing, and leadership through empowering others, to help ensure disaster management occurs, in as much as it possibly can, in an orderly, economical, efficient and sustainable manner,” Derrick Krizsan, chief administrative officer for the Municipal District of Willow Creek, wrote on Starling’s nomination papers.
Starling has been an active member in an emergency services role for the last 21 years. He started his career as a volunteer firefighter for the Town of High River, was the fire chief for the Town of Claresholm, a primary care paramedic for Chinook EMS and Alberta Health Services EMS, and is currently a peace officer, the fire chief and director of emergency services for the M.D. of Willow Creek and the M.D. of Ranchland. He is also the director of emergency management for the M.D. of Willow Creek, Town of Stavely and M.D. of Ranchland.
“He was recently awarded the Alberta Emergency Services Medal for exemplary years of service,” Krizsan said.
“In his role as fire chief and director of emergency services, Kelly manages an intermunicipal emergency services agreement with partner municipalities being the Town of Nanton, Town of Stavely, Town of Claresholm and Town of Fort Macleod. This agreement ensures that wherever a person may live in the M.D. they will receive a consistent level of service and care from any of the fire departments that serve our community.”
“One of his key focuses has been fostering an inter-jurisdictional approach to the interconnected phases of emergency management within our region, recognizing that disasters often transcend municipal boundaries,” Krizsan said in nominating Starling for the prestigious award.
“This method has provided the framework for a coordinated and cooperative approach to training, exercises and overall program development. Listed below are a few of the initiatives that Kelly has been instrumental in advancing over the last couple of years within our region: Successful application for an Emergency Management Preparedness Program grant that partnered the M.D. with the urban municipalities within its boundaries for a two-year emergency management training program that culminated in a two-day regional functional exercise with a unified command component on the final day. The two-year training program significantly increased the M.D.’s capacity by having over 29 staff members trained to an ICS 200 or higher level, along with position specific training for command staff, general staff and strike team/task force leaders.
“Formation of a regional emergency management program and a joint emergency management agency in partnership with our neighbouring municipalities, the Town of Stavely and the M.D. of Ranchland. In August of 2022, administration from the three municipalities met with AEMA (Alberta Emergency Management Agency) to discuss various options for regional programs. The three municipalities collectively had a vision that recognized the necessity and importance of establishing a strong emergency management program through a partnership that included the ability for internal growth and innovated thinking,” Krizsan said.
This regional initiative has allowed the municipalities to achieve efficiencies and economies of scale that would have otherwise been unattainable. Starling is the appointed DEM (Director of Emergency Management) for all three municipalities.
He also organizes and conducts annual evacuation drills for a group country residential area, which has resulted in improved communication amongst the residents, and the placement of an air raid siren in the lower portion of the community to aid with evacuation notifications.
He organizes intermunicipal DEM meetings with the urban municipalities within the M.D. of Willow Creek. This has provided the DEMs with a means and an opportunity for continued communication, and the ability to share challenges and successes, and identify areas where they may be able to continue to work collaboratively.
“Kelly is also a member of the South Zone (All-Hazards Incident Management Team ) AHlMT, and regularly participates as a mentor for neighbouring municipalities in their training. He seeks to give back to what he has benefited from by serving as a member of the Alberta ICS Instructors Committee, and by assisting other municipalities undertaking a regional training and exercise program.
Along with being a member of the South Zone All-Hazards Incident Management Team, Starling is an ICS Canada Instructor (Incident Command System), and a mentor for all-hazards training.
Starling’s dedication to his community doesn’t end with his roles with the municipalities. He also coaches high school football and has been the offensive coordinator/ co-head coach of the Willow Creek Cobras for the last 19 years. In 2019 he won the Tier IV High School Football Coach of the Year Award.
Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award contributions being recognized range from leading high profile rescue operations and recovery efforts to major emergencies; enhancing public safety programming and policies to strengthen community resilience and developing training exercises and education programs for first responders and other emergency management personnel.
The Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award has been awarded to 365 individuals spanning every province and territory in the country.
The award covers five categories: resilient communities; youth; search and rescue volunteers; search and rescue employees; and outstanding contribution to emergency management.
Since taking on the role of director of emergency management for the M.D. of Willow Creek in 2019, Kelly Starling has actively sought opportunities to expand and improve the organization’s foundation for emergency management by addressing gaps and promoting opportunities for growth and resiliency on an individual, organizational, and regional basis.
Starling will join the other 2024-2025 Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award recipients who will be honoured at a ceremony in Ottawa on Feb. 26, 2025. The ceremony will be at the Sir John A. MacDonald Building located across from Parliament Hill.
The M.D. will pick up airfare and accommodations charges for Starling and a plus one to attend the awards ceremony.