Former Whistler, Vancouver fire chief John McKearney receives national honour
After more than 40 years of service, former Vancouver and Whistler fire chief John McKearney has received one of the highest honours in his field.
The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs named McKearney the 2022 Canadian Fire Chief of the Year at a ceremony in Ottawa this month.
McKearney told CTV News it was an "amazing experience" to receive the recognition, which included a standing ovation from the audience.
"(I) felt like an imposter, and I meant that, sincerely, to the audience," he said. "There's so much talent across this country, and I am under no illusion that I am the 2022 fire chief of the year. Rather, I feel – and I stated (at the ceremony) that I feel – as the representative of so many great leaders that I worked with throughout my career."
McKearney spent 37 years with the Vancouver Fire Rescue Service, beginning his career as a firefighter and eventually becoming fire chief. He retired from VFRS, but came out of retirement in 2018 to serve as fire chief in Whistler, a role he held until his second retirement earlier this year.
Shortly after joining the Whistler Fire Rescue Service, McKearney was elected president of the CAFC.
The Resort Municipality of Whistler congratulated McKearney on his achievement in a statement issued Friday.
“I would like to congratulate John and to thank him for his extraordinary work leading the Whistler Fire Rescue Service,” said Mayor Jack Crompton in the statement.
“Whistler is vulnerable to wildfire and John’s work both for our community, and on a national level, has been critical to further public safety and emergency preparedness.”
Though he's now retired, McKearney said he plans to continue offering support and coaching to fellow fire chiefs.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.