Armstrong steps in as interim fire chief

With Steve Richardson moving on to a job with the Town of Georgina, Ont., Gerry Armstrong will be filling in as interim fire chief of Fort Frances until the town hires a permanent replacement.
Armstrong started on the job this past Monday, but won’t be taking on all of Richardson’s duties officially until May 22—the former chief’s actual departure date.
“I’ll be carrying out the duties of fire chief and emergency management co-ordinator, as well as district mutual aid co-ordinator—all the duties that Steve previously carried, obviously,” noted Armstrong.
“I’ve always had an interest in the fire service. I’m really quite looking forward to taking on a leadership role, you might say, in the community,” he added.
Armstrong, who spent almost the last 20 years with the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal, was born and raised in Fort Frances and actually began his career as a firefighter here about 30 years ago.
For the past five years, Armstrong was a fire safety specialist with the Public Education and Media Relations unit of the OFM. While he operated out of the headquarters in Toronto for that during that time, he always maintained a permanent residence here.
“I sure won’t miss the travel,” he remarked.
The town began advertising to hire a new permanent fire chief about three weeks ago and has received several applications so far, Human Resources manager Christine Ruppenstein noted Thursday.
She added the deadline for applications is next Thursday (May 11), after which the town will move to the next stage of the hiring process.
As previously reported, Richardson will become deputy fire chief for the Town of Georgina, a community on Lake Simcoe northeast of Newmarket.
As deputy fire chief, Richardson will be responsible for day-to-day operations, heading up the fire prevention and training divisions, as well as being involved in emergency planning.
Leaving the district with Richardson will be his wife, Gail, and their twin daughters, Laura and Lindsay, who are in Grade 9 at Fort High.
The couple’s eldest daughter, Ashley, is just finishing her first year at Trent University in Peterborough.
Richardson moved here with his family in June, 2000 after serving as a fire captain in Innisfil, Ont.