North Westside residents have a new acting fire chief while the search for a permanent chief begins.
Jason Satterthwaite will take over the chief’s duties effective Feb. 29 on an interim basis for the paid on-call department serving communities within the North Westside Fire Protection Area. Satterthwaite has been the deputy chief since 2014.
The interim appointment is required with the resignation of Chief Doug Gardiner who is leaving to pursue an opportunity with the Fraser Valley Regional District. Gardiner has been Chief of the North Westside department since August 2013.
“Jason’s interim appointment as acting chief will ensure that there’s consistency in leadership and training for those paid-on-call fire department members who are committed to serving their community,” said Regional District Fire and Inspection Services Manager Dan Wildeman.
“He played a major role last summer in the department’s response and assistance to Wilson’s Landing fire during the Shelter Cove/Westside Road wildfire. North Westside residents can rest assured that dedicated and trained members of the fire department will continue responding to calls for medical first response and fire emergencies from their neighbours.”
A formal process to select a new chief within the North Westside Fire Department will begin soon.