GRAND VALLEY – After nearly 45 years in public service, Grand Valley and District Fire Department Chief Kevin McNeilly will retire from the joint Municipalities of Grand Valley, Amaranth, and East Garafraxa on Jan. 10.
After serving as an officer and chief of training for the City of Brampton, an interim fire chief of Kincardine Fire and Emergency Services Department, McNeilly was appointed to the position of fire chief for Grand Valley and District Fire Department in September 2012.
Chief McNeilly was committed to improving safety of the firefighters and the communities they serve, municipal officials say. He has enhanced the department’s resources with the purchase of new equipment, including a 2014 International Tanker/Pumper, a 2018 Argo Avenger ATV with a trailer to enable water rescue, and new auto extraction equipment (“Jaws of Life”), they add.
His focus on continuous training led to designing and building a new training facility in May 2015. He leaves behind a long-term plan that will allow steady growth of the entire department, officials say.
In preparation for his retirement, McNeilly will support Cpt. Justin Foreman who took over the position of fire chief on Dec. 13.
Foreman, born and raised in Grand Valley, discovered his passion for firefighting in the Junior Firefighter Program and later while serving Grand Valley for five years as a volunteer firefighter.
In 2001, he relocated to the Orangeville Fire Department, where he currently serves as fire captain.
