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Tony Bavota named fire chief in Burlington

March 6, 2013 – Tony Bavota, a deputy chief in Burlington, Ont., since 2009, has been named fire chief, succeeding Shayne Mintz, who left in April to become assistant deputy fire marshal for the fire protection services with the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal.

The City of Burlington announced Bavota’s appointment Wednesday and said in a press release that he is in his 18th year of service with the city, where he has been a firefighter, acting captain and acting platoon chief. Bavota gained extensive corporate experience while working in the city manager’s office on a job rotation as the assistant to the city manager, the press release said.

The city noted in the release that before joining the Burlington Fire Department, Bavota worked with the Guelph Police Service as a constable and tactical response unit member.

“Tony is committed to effective leadership of Burlington’s fire department and has demonstrated a focus on continuous improvement through education and professional development,” said Kim Phillips, the city’s general manager of community and corporate services.

The press release said that Bavota earned a masters degree in public administration from the University of Western Ontario in 2011, and he holds a diploma in public administration and a bachelors degree in arts and economics.

The Burlington Fire Department, which comprises 202 full-time staff and 65 volunteers, serves more than 175,000 residents in urban and rural communities over  189 square kilometres.