Former Ottawa district chief Robert Foster named Merrickville fire chief

Posted Jan 26, 2012 By J.P. Antonacci

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EMC News - Retired Ottawa Fire Service (OFS) district chief Robert Foster is the new chief of the Merrickville Fire Department.

Foster took over the top job on Jan. 16, replacing Ron Barber, who retired after 27 years as chief and nearly four decades of firefighting.

The former volunteer firefighter and longtime Merrickville resident is excited to inherit a well-equipped department with dedicated members.

"We've got a good young crew and we're looking forward to working with them and developing a training curriculum," Foster said.

As his retirement date approached with OFS, Foster saw the Merrickville position as a new challenge.

"I thought it'd be a nice retirement job to do. The timing was right," he said. "And my wife wants me to stay busy."

The new chief is pleased that the department's standard operating procedures are up to date, and said he will get acclimatized to the department and his new colleagues before making any changes.

"Right now, it's a steep learning curve for me. I've got a lot to read," he said.

Mayor Doug Struthers said Foster's extensive firefighting experience and familiarity with Merrickville-Wolford, including an understanding of the different challenges and risks inherent in rural and urban firefighting, made him the ideal choice for chief.

"He lives in our community, knows our community well, and one of his tremendous mantras is it's all about service to all of the residents of Merrickville-Wolford," Struthers said. "He's a tremendous fit for our fire service."

One of Foster's first orders of business will be to finalize a mutual aid agreement with the Kemptville Fire Department (now North Grenville Fire Service) that will see North Grenville use Merrickville's multi-purpose aerial ladder, known as a quint, until the municipality purchases its own.

North Grenville fire chief Paul Hutt welcomed his former OFS colleague to the area. "I look forward to having a very close working relationship with Bob as we move ahead. We've had past working relationships, and I hope we continue that," Hutt said.

That the department has a quint, along with three tankers and a pumper, is a testament to his predecessor's skillful management, Foster said.

"Fortunately, Ron Barber was very good at acquiring equipment, so Merrickville is a very well-equipped fire department," he said. "Nothing is ever perfect, but this is a great base to build on."

Foster knows some of his new colleagues from when he himself was a volunteer firefighter from 1988 to 2000. He said he is enjoying the chance "to get to know what their skill sets are, and for them to get to know me."

The chief thinks the department's ideal complement would be 30 firefighters, including three captains. Troy Murphy and Chris Hanson were recently promoted to captain, joining Don Driscoll, who served as interim chief after Barber retired on Nov. 30.

Struthers said it's tough to see Barber go, but thinks the veteran firefighter has more than earned his retirement.

"While we were replacing our fire chief, one can never replace a Ron Barber," he said.

The mayor commended Barber's "phenomenal role and contribution to our municipality," adding that the former chief "raised the standard" of the volunteer department by implementing a first responder program and overseeing the purchase of the aerial ladder, which saves firefighters from having to scale Merrickville's tall heritage buildings during a fire.

Barber's efforts to ensure volunteers were available on busy summer weekends aided the growth of Merrickville's tourism industry, Struthers added. As chief, Barber qualified the municipality for the accredited superior tanker shuttle service, a designation that confirms a department's ability to meet certain criteria for water volume and flow rate, and lowers fire insurance costs for residents and businesses.

"That's just to mention a few of the initiatives that Chief Barber took on not just on behalf of the municipality, but indeed all of the residents of Merrickville-Wolford," Struthers said.

jp.antonacci@metroland.com




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