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Fire Underwriters Survey Recognizes Top Fire Chiefs, 2025

8 June, 2026

The 2025 Canadian Fire Chief of the Year awards were presented by Fire Underwriters Survey during the Awards Gala at the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs’ annual conference, Fire-Rescue Canada 2025. These awards are an excellent opportunity to recognize excellence in leadership in the fire sector.

2025 Canadian Career Fire Chief of the Year
Larry Thomas, Fire Chief
Vice President of the Fire Chiefs Association of BC, and Chair of the CAFC Interoperability Committee
Surrey, BC

FUS is proud to partner with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs to announce Chief Larry Thomas of Surrey as the 2025 Canadian Career Fire Chief of the Year. With more than 36 years of dedicated service, Chief Thomas has risen through every rank—from firefighter to Fire Chief—demonstrating unwavering commitment to public safety, innovation, and community well-being. He has led transformative advancements in community risk reduction, including the expansion of the HomeSafe program, which significantly reduced residential fires and casualties, while also championing firefighter health and safety through cancer-prevention measures, cardiovascular testing, and peer mental-health supports. A compassionate leader, he forged partnerships that strengthen support for vulnerable populations and has contributed nationally through roles such as President of the Greater Vancouver Fire Chiefs’ Association, 2nd Vice President of the Fire Chiefs Association of BC, and Chair of the CAFC Interoperability Committee. Chief Thomas’s vision, integrity, and lifelong dedication have left a lasting impact on the fire service, making him profoundly deserving of this honour.

2025 Canadian Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year
Chief Wayne Power
Placentia Fire Department
Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador

FUS is proud to partner with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs to announce Chief Wayne Power of Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador as the 2025 Canadian Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year. With an extraordinary 53 years of dedicated service, Chief Power has transformed his department through elevated training, expanded community outreach, modernized equipment, and strong mutual-aid partnerships that strengthened regional emergency response. His lifelong commitment, courageous leadership, and unwavering devotion to community safety have made a profound and lasting impact—earning him this well-deserved national recognition.

For more information on the Award and Award Criteria, please see the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs Website

Fire Underwriters Survey & the CAFC National Awards: Past Recipients

	Career Fire Chief of the Year	Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year
2024	Keven Lefebvre, Fire Chief Leduc County Fire Service Chief Paul Boissonneault Oakville Fire Department	Rick Elder, Fire Chief Dalmeny Fire and Rescue
2023	Morgan Hackl, Fire Chief Saskatoon Fire Department	Dean Mineault Beausejour Brokenhead Fire Department
2022	John McKearney Whistler Fire Rescue Service	Danny McCallum Valleyview Fire Department
2021	Bill Boyes Brampton Fire and Emergency Services	Arnold Lazare Kahnawà:ke Fire Brigade
2020	Ken McMullen Red Deer Emergency Services	Randy Schroeder Mayerthorpe Fire Department
2019	Cameron Abrey Dauphin Fire Department	Judy Unsworth Wheatland County Fire Services
2018	Fire Chief Pierre Voisine of Cornwall Fire Department	Fire Chief Dale Ashbee Neebing Emergency Services
2017	Fire Chief Tim Armstrong New Westminster Fire & Rescue Service	Fire Chief Alain Nadeau Le Broqueri Fire Department
2016	Fire Chief Stephen Gamble, ECFO Township of Langley Fire Department	Fire Chief Cecil Kerr Gillam Volunteer Fire Department
2015	Fire Chief Daniel Brazeau Service incendie MRC d'Autray	Fire Chief Edward Bryan Atonable South-Monaghan Department of Fire & Emergency
2014	Division Chief Gordon Routley Montreal Fire Department	Fire Chief Gerald Jones Petitcodiac Fire Department
2013	Fire Chief Ken Block Edmonton Fire Rescue Service	Fire Chief Jerrold Lemko Vegreville Fire Department
2012	Fire Chief Bruce Burrell Calgary Fire Department	Fire Chief Harry Farrell New Maryland Fire Department
2011	Directeur Gilles la Madeleine Sécurité incendie de Beloeil	Fire Chief Charlie Boyte, CFO Pender Island Fire Rescue
2010	Fire Chief Gord Schreiner Comox Fire Rescue	Fire Chief Miles Boulter Chief Instructor of the Prince Edward Island Firefighters School
2009	Fire Chief Les Karpluk Prince Albert Fire Department	Fire Chief DanThorsteinson, Selkirk Fire Department
2008	Fire Chief William Stewart Toronto Fire Services	Fire Chief Bill Higgs Sechelt Chief Fire Officer
2007	Fire Chief Randy Wolsey Director of Community Protection for the Mohawk of Kahnawake Territory	Terry Diabo Founding President the Aboriginal Fire Fighters Association of Canada
2006	Fire Chief Serge Tremblay Montreal Fire Department	Fire Chief Glen Sanders Shawnigan Lake Volunteer Fire Department
2005	Fire Chief Donald Warden Wasaga Beach Fire Department	Fire Chief David Guilbault Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service
2004	Fire Chief Terry Allen Cambridge Fire Department	Deputy Fire Chief Dennis Levy Marsh Lake Yukon Territories
2003	Deputy Fire Chief John de Hooge Oakville Fire Department
2002	Fire Chief Wayne Morris Calgary Fire Department	Fire Chief Robert Prima Grenfell Fire Department