Almost six months after being hired, Alex Van Bruksvoort is no longer chief of the North Westside Fire Department.
Wayne Carson, former fire chief and current regional director of Okanagan West, says he has been made aware of the separation. Due to privacy reasons, the circumstances surrounding the departure could not be shared.
“There have been changes to the way the fire department is run and operated. The chief’s position today is not the same as the position I filled a number of years ago,” said Carson.
Van Bruksvoort was hired after former fire chief Jason Satterthwaite and his lieutenant Robert Gajda were suspended indefinitely.
“I am disappointed that there have been issues over the past few years. I would like to see the fire department go back to delivering fire (fighting) services and, hopefully, put the politics in the rearview mirror,” said Carson.
Senior captain, Nick Cantryn, has been named acting chief of the department while the search for another new chief is undertaken.
“I absolutely support the decision to put Nick in charge. I am hoping the regional district will consider Nick as a prime candidate for any decisions moving forward with the department,” said Carson.
Cantryn is a long-time resident of the community, and according to Carson, is well trained and respected within the department, which “is key in moving forward.”
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