Port Hope Fire Chief Bids Farewell

Pete Fisher
4 years ago
• Categories: Local

After 25 years in public service, Port Hope Fire and Emergency Services Chief C. Ryan Edgar, will retire from the Municipality of Port Hope on November 18, 2020.

Members of Council accepted Chief Edgar’s Notice of Retirement on Tuesday, September 15. His last day in the office will be October 15, at which point he will be on a well-deserved scheduled leave, using some of the time he has accumulated during the Municipality’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is with mixed emotions that I leave the Municipality and retire from a decades-long career serving my communities,” explains Chief Edgar. “After careful consideration I have decided that this is the right time for both my family and me to make a pretty cool change in our lives, and pursue a new personal business venture that has long been a dream of ours. Words alone cannot express how much of an honour it has been for me to serve this Municipality and the community for the past five plus years.”

Chief Edgar joined the Municipality in June 2015 as Deputy Fire Chief, later becoming the Director of Fire and Emergency Services in 2016, responsible for the Municipality’s Fire Service, Building Services Division, and the Municipal Law Enforcement Division. Chief Edgar has served as both the Municipality’s Emergency Control Group Director and Community Emergency Management Coordinator since the onset of the pandemic.

“Chief Edgar’s departure is certainly a loss to the Municipality as he has proudly served our community with professionalism, efficiency, and diligence over the last five years,” notes Bob Sanderson, Mayor of the Municipality of Port Hope. “We are grateful for the Chief’s leadership in Port Hope, for the terrific team that he has built in his department, the knowledge and expertise that he brought with him to the role, and for his continued support, particularly over the last year as he has led us through the management of the public health crisis. On a personal note, I will miss Ryan’s sunny disposition, camaraderie, and ever-positive outlook on life. Our community was made safer thanks to his dedication and leadership. I wish him and his family the very best in their next adventure.”

During his tenure, Chief Edgar successfully led Fire and Emergency Services through substantial staffing turnovers, established a solid team of administrative staff, and successfully recruited a full complement of volunteer firefighters, that now has a waiting list of new recruit candidates.

Under his leadership, there have been vast improvements made to two of the three municipal fire stations. This has enabled significant cost savings by making the facilities more energy efficient as well as safer and more accommodating for all firefighters.

Chief Edgar assisted in securing thousands of dollars in grant funding for the Municipality. These funds were committed to improving the safety of the firefighters and has enhanced the Department’s proficiencies with the purchase of new life saving equipment, including defibrillators, gas detection devices, and numerous public education and training events for both the community and firefighters. As well, the Department is now better equipped with the purchase of a new pumper rescue, a large volume tanker pumper (which allowed for the Fire Service to receive a higher water tanker shuttle accreditation), a specialized wildland forestry fire fighting trailer, and a three-quarter ton pickup truck, used in many Department applications, including emergency response.

Notably, in his role as Community Emergency Management Coordinator, Chief Edgar has shepherded his team through several challenging events, including record level flooding, a multi-residential apartment building fire, and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I can honestly say that serving the citizens of this wonderful community and working with the women and men of the Port Hope Fire and Emergency Services is a job that I truly love doing every day,” continues Chief Edgar. “As my career in public service comes to an end, I will leave with confidence that the Municipality will continue to be guided by dedicated, motivated, and professional leaders.”

In preparation for his departure, Chief Edgar will take all necessary steps to ensure Deputy Fire Chief Dan Smith is in a position to lead the department in his role as Acting Fire Chief until the position is filled permanently. Questions about this transition may be directed to fire@porthope.ca