The Public Safety Division consists of three branches designed to help ensure safe buildings, equipment and facilities, and effective emergency response.  The division works in partnership with Alberta's municipalities, other government departments, local authorities and various local organizations.

Safety Services  helps municipalities, corporations and other entities promote and enforce codes and standards. Alberta's safety system of building codes and standards is constantly being updated to meet the needs of Albertans. Protection for the public is provided under the Safety Codes Act. The act establishes codes and standards in nine disciplines: boiler and pressure vessels, building, fire, plumbing, gas, electrical, elevators, amusement rides and passenger ropeways (ski lifts). Safety Services also monitors municipalities and other organizations that have been given the authority to administer safety codes and standards.

As one example of its work, Safety Services has undertaken the Private Sewage Disposal Management Initiative. This program addresses concerns about the need to improve private sewage disposal systems to safeguard the health and safety of Albertans.

Emergency Management Alberta develops and carries out a province-wide program to help municipalities and the province respond effectively to disasters and major emergencies. The branch works closely with local authorities and other government departments, as well as business and industry, the federal government and non-governmental organizations. It assists with the developing, testing and validating of emergency plans. It also helps municipalities deal with actual emergencies.

The branch works with various ministries in regularly testing and modifying the government's own emergency plans.  It also administers the province's disaster recovery programs.  These programs provide financial help to households, small businesses, farming operations and municipalities for non-insurable losses resulting from natural disasters. As one example of its work, Emergency Management Alberta implements disaster recovery programs to help Albertans recover from disasters such as the Pine Lake tornado or overland flooding, which is not covered by insurance. Emergency Management Alberta also manages the Alberta Emergency Public Warning System, which allows municipal officials and other authorized users to broadcast warnings of impending danger on local radio and television stations.

The Fire Commissioner's Office provides support and technical advice to fire departments. It also assists with fire investigations. The Fire Commissioner and his staff work closely with municipalities and public and private sector institutions to improve fire protection standards and services. The office also works in partnership with fire etc. (formerly known as the Alberta Fire Training School) to provide training and support for firefighters, safety codes officers and municipal officials. It provides public education and information products and publications about fire prevention. The office collects and publishes information about fire types, causes and origins.

As one example of its work, the Fire Commissioner's Office set up several education programs for children, including Risk Watch and Learn Not to Burn. These programs helped lead to a 57 per cent reduction in the number of fires started by children in Alberta over the last two decades.  Associated fire deaths dropped by 63 per cent.