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CAFC chooses its ‘fire chiefs of the year’

November 2006 – NOVA SCOTIA – Fire Chief Serge Tremblay of the Montreal fire service has been named Canada’s Full-time Fire Chief of the Year. Fire Chief Glen Sanders of the Shawnigan Lake Volunteer Fire Department is the Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year. Both awards were announced during the closing ceremonies at the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs’ annual conference held in Halifax, N.S., in August.

Fire Chief Sanders is past president of the British Columbia Association of Fire Chiefs while Fire Chief Tremblay is the current president of the Quebec fire chiefs association.

CAFC president, Fire Chief Patrick Burke of the Niagara Falls (Ont.) Fire Services, said in congratulating Tremblay and Sanders that, while there are major differences between the Montreal and Shawnigan fire departments, their chiefs share important characteristics.

“Both of our fire chiefs of the year are mandated to protect the lives and property of their citizens.  To do so effectively, they must be committed to training, public education and appropriate equipment,” Burke  observed.

“More than anything else, they have equally shown themselves to be true leaders.”

There are 3,500 fire departments in Canada and 108,000 fire fighting personnel.   Volunteers comprise 91 per cent of all departments and 77 per cent of total personnel.