SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES
- Deputy Fire Chief (Ret.), City of Toronto
- Over 32 years of fire service experience
- Skilled in Incident Command, Fire Department Administration and organizational restructuring
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
Advanced Local Government - University of Western Ontario 2001
National Securities Studies Seminar - Canadian Forces College 2004
Leading Through Excellence Diploma - University of Toronto 2004
Executive Development Program - Schulich School of Business, York University 2000
Basic Emergency Preparedness - Canadian Emergency Preparedness College
Emergency Site Management - 1998,1999 & 2000
Emergency Operations Centre Management - Phoenix Incident Management Symposium 1998
The Power Of Speaking/Power of Selling - Warr & Associates, June 1998
Emergency Management Of High Rise Incidents - Ontario Fire College, 1996
Advanced Level Fire Protection Technology Diploma - Ontario Fire College, 1996
Making Meetings Work - City of North York Professional Development, 1995
Fire Cause Determination - O.F.M. Advisory Services, 1993
Control Of Hazardous Materials - O.F.M. Advisory Services, 1992
General Level Fire Technology Diploma - Ontario Fire College, 1987
Fire Safety 1 - Seneca College, 1979
EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND
Giffin Koerth Inc.
Senior Consultant
2006 – Present, Toronto
City of Toronto Fire Services
Deputy Fire Chief, June 2003 - April 2006
Fire Prevention and Public Education
Administration and management of a comprehensive Fire Prevention and Public Education Program
Preparation and administration of division budget
Coordinate the activities of Fire Prevention Division with other programs of the Fire Service
Make presentations before City Council, City Community Councils and Committees on Fire Prevention matters
Coordinate activities with other City departments as necessary including planning, development review, construction activities through to occupancy and beyond
Assist with labour / management matters and relations
Deputy Fire Chief, December 2000 - June 2003
Support Services and Communications
Managed Communications Division including Co-Chair of the Radio Steering Committee for the implementation of a $34.5m digital radio system partnering with the Toronto Police and EMS Services
Information Technology Section, responsible for the Computer Aided Dispatch / Records Management System capital project implementation ($14.5m)
General administration of the Toronto Fire Services including overseeing $260m operating budget
Recruitment, Outreach and Information Services section responsibilities
Implemented Attendance Management and Modified Duty Programs
Active participant in developing the 2003-2007 Toronto Fire Services Strategic Plan
Deputy Fire Chief, February 1998 - December 2000
Operations
Managed emergency activities of 2,745 operation staff in 80 fire stations in the amalgamated City of Toronto
Heavily involved in Labour relations’ issues ranging from negotiating the first collective agreement, developing rules and regulations as well as standard operating guidelines and procedures
Management representative for the department at mediations, arbitrations and at Ontario Labour Relations Board hearings.
Assisted in the development of policies and protocols to harmonize service delivery and safety related matters
Led the operational command redesign and restructuring project
North York Fire Department
Platoon Chief, April 1997 - February 1998
Platoon Chief is the rank immediately below Assistant Deputy Chief. He is responsible to the Deputy Chief for the efficiency and staffing of all nineteen stations in the City of North York. The Platoon Chief is to take command of all emergencies to which they are dispatched and is responsible for the control and extinguishment of all fires, rescue operations and other emergencies in the City.
Acting Platoon Chief, January 1996 - April 1997
January 1996 to April 1997 - given the responsibility and authority to fulfill all of the normal duties of the Platoon Chief during his long term absence
Most of the remaining time from July 1996 until my promotion in April of 1997 was also spent as the Acting Platoon Chief working together with the Platoon Chief as he attempted to gradually return to full duties
District Chief, February 1992 - April 1997
Served in the Jane and Finch area with responsibility for supervising the six Captains and twenty-four firefighters in one of Canada’s most active fire districts
Selected to testify and represent the Department as an “experienced Incident Commander” at the Inquest into the fire deaths at the 2 Forest Laneway high rise fire
Captain, July 1983 - February 1992
Worked many years in the busy Jane and Finch area developing front line firefighting skills and a proactive time management style while fulfilling non-firefighting duties
Trained on and then took command of a Hazardous Materials/Pumper crew in my fifth year as a Captain
Firefighter, October 1973 – July 1983
Operations firefighter responding to a wide variety of emergency situations
Qualified driver on pumper and aerials apparatus
Platoon Instructor for First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES / ASSOCIATIONS
Committee Experience
Co-Chair Police, Fire, Ambulance Radio Steering Committee
- Management and budget responsibilities for Canada’s first Police, Fire and Ambulance emergency service shared infrastructure mobile radio system
Medical Dispatch Review Committee
- The Fire representative on a joint emergency services committee charged with monitoring, updating or establishing emergency service medical dispatch protocols
Health and Safety Committees
- As a Certified Heath and Safety Member I have sat on both the Toronto Fire Services Central Health and Safety Committee and the City of Toronto Occupational Health and Safety Coordinating Committee
High Rise Operations Committee
- Developed operational guidelines, policies and procedures required to blend existing equipment and resources into an enhanced, efficient and effective response to high rise emergencies for the new Toronto Fire Department
Promotional Policy Review Committee
- Extensively researched promotional policies across Canada and the United States to produce a draft promotional policy while working with members representing Administration, Training and Firefighting Divisions as well as the North York Professional Firefighters Association
Notice Working Group Committee
- Developed a method of improving the control and distribution of the Departments’ written information system
Suggestion Committee
- Evaluated suggestions for merit and feasibility. Recommended implementation or rejection.
Emergency Planning and Training Committee
- Participated in the initiation of several significant department policies, procedures and training document in areas such as the Incident Command System, High Rise Firefighting, Positive Pressure Ventilation and Hazardous Material Operational Policies
