Fire Chief John McDougall will be stepping down from his position at the end of this month.
McDougall, who has served as Erin’s Fire Chief since amalgamation in 1999, prefers to call his departure a retirement rather than a resignation.
“I really enjoyed doing it and I hate to leave,” he told The Advertiser last week. “I enjoyed every minute of it.”
But demands at his full-time job with Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services, ultimately led to the difficult decision to step down with the Erin department.
On Feb. 11, McDougall was named acting chief of the Mississauga department, because Chief Garry Morden took a sick leave because of a second battle with cancer.
“I can’t keep doing both and do an adequate job at both places,” McDougall said.
He added that it is not uncommon for him to log 20 to 25 hours a week in Erin, on top of his full-time duties in Mississauga.
“It’s a big job and it takes a lot of time,” he said of the Erin position.
McDougall said he has really enjoyed working with Erin councillors and staff, and of course, town firefighters. And although he is officially retiring on March 31, he said he will be glad to help out any way he can beyond that date.
In fact, McDougall said he has agreed to help town staff with the process of finding his replacement, but he will not take part in any decision making.
He said the town will likely look internally to find his replacement, because that is the town policy, but he hinted that the new chief may require more training.
McDougall said he will miss working with town staff and council and everyone in the Erin Fire Department.
“It’s one of the finest volunteer departments in the province, and I enjoyed my time here,” he said.
