New Fire Chief Appointed in Vegreville

New Fire Chief Appointed in Vegreville

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

Chris Jardine is Vegreville’s new Fire Chief.

Jardine, who joined the Vegreville Fire Department 18 years ago, was officially appointed by town council on Feb. 10. An official transfer of command ceremony was held on Feb. 12 at the fire hall.

Outgoing Fire Chief Phil Rowe passed over the ceremonial fire axe to Jardine. “I created the Chief’s Fire Axe tradition to symbolize the passing of command from one leader to the next.

Something that I hope carries on for years to come. The Chiefs fire axe is golden to represent his or her officer status in the Fire Service and is a reminder of the duties and capabilities of the Chief. It is a symbol of strength, commitment and dedication to the fire service, the community and the members he or she serves.” Rowe said it had been an honour to serve the community as Fire Chief, and was proud to leave it in Jardine`s capable hands. “I’m very excited to continue to work with Chief Jardine to keep our community safe.”

Outgoing Fire Chief Phil Rowe, right, passes on the axe to new Fire Chief Chris Jardine.

Jardin said his selection is a great honour, and he will continue to endeavour to ensure the support is justified.”

Jardine has served as the Deputy Fire Chief since 2010. Jardine described his initial experience as fantastic. “The structure of the department, the teamwork, the training, the dedication and the community minded spirit were all very evident and I was proud to be a new part of it.”

He said there are many highlights since he joined the department, including being selected to be the first fulltime Fire Services Co-ordinator- Lieutenant in 2006, to becoming Emergency Services Assistant Manager- Deputy Chief in 2010.

“This road travelled has been one full of adventure and amazing experiences. The main highlights are the people I have worked with all through the years. Their desire to serve this community has always been evident. From the structure fires, the motor vehicle collisions, to the medical assistance calls, these men and women truly love what they are doing. I could not pick out one particular highlight that sums up my years with the VFD. All I can say is that the people here are what make this department great.” Jardine said he appreciates the atmosphere and support of the fire department and community at large. An emergency services responder by trade, Jardine has worked in different management and co-ordinator positions with the town, and has a good understanding of the processes required to work efficiently and effectively with administration.

Jardine said his focus will be on recruitment and training. “We are currently interviewing potential new members into our ranks and working on ideas to retain them and make them as proud to wear the badge as I always have been. Training is always a priority in the Vegreville Fire Department. All members meet every Wednesday night and train for two hours on all aspects of the service. When you think about all that the Vegreville Fire Department does; fire suppression, motor vehicle collisions, search and rescue, high and low angle rescue, medical first response, safety codes inspections, public relations, community programs, and fundraising, fitting all the training required into the 50 training days we have a year, can be a challenge. We need to ensure that we meet the training requirements so our members can respond to any calls for assistance that the citizens of the Town of Vegreville and surrounding area of the County of Minburn, require.”