The Port Alberni Fire Department will be looking for a new fire chief, as the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) announced on Monday, June 25 the hiring of Kelly Gilday to the position of Manager of Protective Services.
Gilday has been involved in a leadership capacity within Emergency Services for the past 25 years at both the municipal and provincial levels. While the majority of his responsibilities have been fire department operations, Gilday has strong experience in emergency preparedness and response, including through several declared states of emergency.
“This is a great place to live and when the opportunity to take on the Emergency Planning for the ACRD became available, I couldn’t turn it down,” said Gilday in a release. “Now is the right time to focus on emergency planning in the valley and make this a priority for the community.”
The Protective Services Manager is a new position that will re-invigorate Emergency Response in the Alberni Valley and will be the key manager responsible for evaluating, planning and leading emergency preparedness of the Alberni Valley, as well as Bamfield.
The manager will also provide leadership, coordination and organizational management support to the fire chiefs of the ACRD’s three volunteer fire departments.
“Typical of many ACRD services, Emergency Preparedness for the Alberni Valley is delivered cooperatively with many jurisdictions,” said Doug Holmes, ACRD CAO. “Kelly’s experience with the City of Port Alberni will add even greater strength in our ability to work as a regional team. Similarly, he has already worked closely with the fire chiefs in the region and we are pleased that that will continue.”
Gilday will commence his role as Manager of Protective Services on July 16, 2018.