Brampton fire chief recognized as Canada’s best

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Published September 13, 2021 at 11:31 pm

Brampton fire chief Bill Boyes (right). (Twitter/@chiefboyes)

There is one blaze of glory that Chief Bill Boyes and his Brampton Fire and Emergency Services colleagues are surely glad to see.

On Monday, the City of Brampton announced the Boyes, who has helmed BFES since 2017, has been awarded Fire Chief of the Year honours by the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) and the Fire Underwriters Survey of Canada.

In a release, the city hailed Boyes for being vital in helping leading Brampton through the current COVID-19 pandemic. He has been part of Brampton’s emergency management response team while remaining committed to his role as fire chief. This summer, the BFES also got the city’s approval to add a fully electric-powered fire truck, contributing to Brampton’s goal of reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Along with their regular duties, BFES staff have contributed to helping mass COVID-19 vaccination sites run smoothly over the last several months.

“The role of fire chief already requires a very high standard of personal and professional excellence,” said John McKearney, who is CAFC president and the fire chief for Whistler, B.C.. “For the Fire Chief of the Year Award, we look for attributes that go above and beyond this already high bar. Recognizing such excellence, inspires all of us towards a better future full of possibilities, which is what Chief Boyes does.”

Boyes has moved up through the ranks in Brampton, attaining the rank of captain before becoming chief. In the release, the city’s elected and administrative leaders noted Boyes is big on improving diversity, equity and inclusion in fire services and has supported that philosophy by creating training opportunities and virtual career information sessions for the public.

“He is a valued member of our leadership team that is dedicated to everything that the role of chief embodies,” Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said. “He’s a community builder, a champion for safety, an innovative thinker and compassionate leader. Since 2017, Chief Boyes has developed Brampton Fire and Emergency Services into the forward-thinking, modern team it is today and we applaud and thank him for his ongoing commitment.”

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