Former Swift Current Deputy Fire Chief Peter L’Heureux has taken the job as Chief in the RM from the retiring Louis Cherpin.
L’Heureux said of his new position: “I’m feeling pretty excited. Chief Cherpin was a fantastic contributor to our community and the RM Fire Department and the fire service in the province.
“I’m a little nervous. They’re big shoes to fill. There’s lots going on and I think like any new position you’re kind of overwhelmed at the beginning until you get into the role and understand all the moving parts and pieces that are there, but pretty excited to have been considered.”
After retiring from his role in Swift Current, L’Heureux had been working with the RM on training and mentoring.
He said: “I’ve got lots of young staff and that is always really I think that’s something as we get older in our careers, it’s pretty important for us to try to give back.
“That was an exciting role spending some time there and it became just between Louis and I that he was getting ready to retire and he was hoping to kind of have somebody that he could trust his organization to.
“Louis and I have worked together lots over the years. I really respect Louis. He’s been a good mentor and a good leader for the organization.”
There are some differences in running a fire department in a rural municipality versus the leaderships roles he has had elsewhere.
L’Heureux said: “It’s different when it’s a volunteer or paid on call department is they’re not full-time staff. Scheduling and training issues. Trying to move everybody towards some goals is a little trickier.
“When you’re dealing with it’s in their spare time or their part time or in their evenings and weekends, and that cuts into family time. Trying to balance those things out is really important.”
That includes recruitment which he believes is always vital for the survival of a rural fire department.
L’Heureux noted that: “I think any volunteer fire service is always looking. It’s a tricky role to fill. “
“You watch movies and you watch TV shows, and it looks kind of glamorous. The reality is that our department does between 60 and 100 calls a year. It’s not call after call. There’s lots of training.
“We’re always looking, I think every fire department in North America is looking for volunteer paid on call staff. We are looking for people who want to contribute to their community who are physically fit, who are mentally capable of responding and physically capable of responding to calls.
“We’ll help train you. We’ll help get you in the right direction. Building a team and being part of the family and understanding that we’re giving back to the community.”
Peter L’Heureux, former Swift Current Deputy Fire Chief, has been announced as the departments new Fire Chief. L’Heureux said that he has big shoes to fill and that his new title is simultaneously exciting and nerve-wracking.
