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Fire Hall Bulletin Online: May

Here is a round-up of the latest fire chief promotions, appointments, retirements, and last alarms across Canada.

Promotions and appointments

Joe Readman has been selected as the new fire chief of the Burk’s Falls and District Fire Department in Ontario. He began his career as a volunteer firefighter for the Gravenhurst Fire Department in 2006 and he has held a number of positions over the years, including being named fire chief for the Municipality of Magnetawan as well as the deputy fire chief and fire prevention officer in Burk’s Falls.

The municipality of Leamington in Ontario chose Don Williamson as the full-time fire chief, a position he has filled in an interim capacity since May 2023. Williamson first joined the fire service in 2003, being named the first full-time deputy chief for the Lakeshore fire department before being promoted to fire chief in 2005. He served the community of Lakeshore for 21 years before transitioning to Leamington Fire Services.

Scott Young has been appointed as the fire chief for the city of Coquitlam, B.C. He has served with the department for more than 25 years and was named as deputy chief of operations in 2020. Young has held a number of positions including lieutenant and captain.

The township of North Huron in Ontario promoted former Deputy Fire Chief Chad Kregar to the role of interim fire chief. He has served as a North Huron firefighter for over 30 years while also serving as the county’s emergency management coordinator.

The Kaslo Fire Department in British Columbia has named Eric Graham as their new full-time fire chief. He has 21 years of experience across three fire departments, and previously served as the deputy fire chief in Lacombe, Alta.

Jamie MacNeil has been selected as the first full-time fire chief for the township of Puslinch, Ont. He started his nearly 23-year career as a volunteer firefighter in Beeton and has also been a training officer and deputy fire chief throughout his time with the service.

Volunteer firefighter Mike Rowntree was chosen as the new deputy fire chief and fire prevention officer for the Elizabethtown-Kitley Fire Department in Ontario. He has served with the department for almost 10 years and he was promoted to captain in 2020.

Retirements

Fire Chief Brett Ogino retired from the Sicamous Fire Department in B.C. after 28 years of service. Joining the department in 1995, he was appointed as the part-time fire chief in 2003 and named the first ever full-time chief for the District of Sicamous in 2016.

Fire Chief Dwaine Kopp retired from the Unity Fire Department in Saskatchewan. He has been a member of the department for 27 years and served as the deputy fire chief for almost 10 years before being promoted to his role as chief in 2021.

Scott Wilkinson retired from his position of deputy chief with Ontario’s Niagara Falls Fire Department after 31 years of service. He spent his entire career with the department, beginning as a probationary firefighter in 1993 and earning promotions to captain, platoon chief, and eventually to deputy fire chief in 2021.

Last Alarm

Ret. Fire Chief Frank Haylow passed away on March 31 at the age of 77. He began his career with the fire service in 1973 as a firefighter with Ontario’s York fire department before moving to the town of Markham’s fire department in 1979. Haylow’s first full time fire chief position came in 2003 with the amalgamation of Port Hope where he worked until his retirement in 2008. He came out of retirement to join Stone Mills as a part-time fire chief before retiring permanently in 2015.

Thomas E. Johnson, the retired fire chief of the St. Catharines fire department, passed away on Feb. 29 at the age of 85. Johnson retired from the fire service after 39 years of service, and was awarded the Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal, recognizing 20 years of service, in 1986.

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