Photo: Contributed
There is a new man in charge of the North Westside Fire Department.
Alex Van Bruksvoort, an experienced firefighting professional, will take over as fire chief at the small, volunteer, paid-on-call department on June 14.
The department provides coverage to the communities of Killiney Beach, Westshore Estates, Fintry Delta, Valley of the Sun and La Casa resort.
Van Bruksvoort is a Vernon-area resident and served 26 years with the City of Richmond fire department, starting as a firefighter and working his way up the ranks to retire as captain. Along with his practical training and expertise, he’s a certified fire investigator and has lengthy service in both fire prevention and inspections.
“We’re pleased to have a person with Alex’s professional credentials take on the administrative leadership and management of the North Westside department. His fire inspection, investigation and prevention expertise will definitely complement the fire suppression experience of North Westside fire members. He’s ready to act as a mentor and build the department skills even further,” RDCO Fire Services manager Ross Kotscherofski said.
Kotscherofski thanked acting deputy chiefs Graeme Headley and Shawn Barnes, who led the department over the past year while a permanent leader was found. The pair steered the ship after the previous fire chief was removed by the regional district, sparking some controversy.
“Residents across the fire service area can take comfort knowing that they have a fantastic crew of members who’ve stepped up to serve with the department. And each remains committed to the rigorous training requirements and are ready to answer the call for help when their pagers go off, responding to their neighbours fire and medical needs,” Kotscherofski said.
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