myFM has learned the city will soon have a new fire chief.
After an almost three-year tenure with the Town of Renfrew, fire chief Kevin Welsh has taken up the post in St. Thomas. He replaces former chief Bob Davidson who announced his retirement in July.
Welsh explains mandatory retirement for fire chiefs at 60 is mostly backed by the rationale it’s a physically demanding job.
However, Welsh says at the fire chief level, he isn’t as involved in the operational side and would like to continue his career.
The Renfrew Fire Department is a combination of full-time and volunteer firefighters.
He says the decision to leave is a bittersweet one, as he and his wife have been embraced by the Renfrew community.
Welsh joined the Renfrew Fire Department in January of 2019. Previously he had been a captain and acting platoon chief with the Kingston Fire and Rescue Department, a composite service comprised of career and volunteer personnel.
Central Elgin Fire Chief Ray Ormerod has been acting chief in St. Thomas since the departure of Davidson.
Welsh’s last day in Renfrew is Nov. 12.
