Barrhead looking for new fire chief

The Town of Barrhead is on the hunt for a new fire chief.

Gary Hove tendered his resignation last week. Hove said he is going to take some time away from the fire department, and that he stepped down for health reasons. His health problems won’t prevent him from fulfilling the role of a volunteer firefighter, but the stress involved with being the fire chief was making it worse, he said, and added the possibility of being a regular member of the fire department isn’t even a sure thing.

“All of the members are stepping up and filling any void,” Hove said. “I have full confidence in the fire department, the members and the command officers, and I know they’ll be able to handle any situation.”

Resigning is something about which Hove thought for about a month and a half, and it was a decision he had to make for the best interest of his family. Hove said he has every intention of staying in Barrhead.

“Who knows what happens with life – it’s a big adventure,” he said. “I have no regrets about going to the fire department – that’s what life is all about. I want to thank the deputy chief, Les Gertz, for helping me out, and for helping out the membership.”

The deaths of several youth this year had a significant impact on his life, he said. Hove started with the fire department as a volunteer about seven years ago, and served as captain for the past two and a half years before taking on the role of fire chief. Hove left his position as Division Safety co-ordinator with Pembina Hills Regional Division No. 7 in order to meet the requirements of a full-time fire chief.

“Having been involved with the school division and seeing several students passing was hard for me,” he said.

Feb. 1 marked Hove’s first official day as fire chief.

“It was a really good experience, and all the councils and the board were very supportive of the department and myself,” he said.

The fire department is just finishing up a new recruit class, which will bring the volunteer fire department to about 32 members, he said, and that will include some junior members.

Town Mayor Brian Schulz said council received Hove’s official resignation on June 27. He said Hove was absolutely well liked in his role as fire chief, and there were no problems between the Town and the fire chief.

“We’ve admired and appreciated all he has done,” Schulz said. “We wish him well with everything he does, and he will be missed. He was well respected by his fellow firefighters both as the chief and as a person.”

In the meantime, the Town has to address the need for a new fire chief, Schulz said, and advertising has been placed in the Leader. The Town will short-list the resumes that come in.

“It’s really too bad,” Schulz said. “We definitely asked him to reconsider, and he took some time to think about it, but in the end, he said no.”