Point Edward’s fire chief has retired. Doug MacKenzie’s retirement was announced Friday by the village.
The fire chief is a full-time position with Point Edward’s fire service, as are the department’s fire prevention officer and community emergency management coordinator. The chief leads a department with 30 volunteer firefighters.
“I would like to thank the Point Edward Fire Department for all their hard work and support over my years of involvement,” MacKenzie said in a news release.
MacKenzie spent a total of 45 years with the village fire service with approximately half of that time as its chief, Mayor Bev Hand said.
“We have faced many challenges as a team and I have always appreciated how we come together to solve these problems,” MacKenzie said.
“I wish the village and the department all the best going forward and my greatest hope is that the department continues to function in the safe and efficient manner that it has over the years,” he said.
Deputy Chief Rick MacGregor will serve as acting fire chief, the village said.
“As the fire chief and a close friend, Doug has been a mentor and leader to myself, and so many others over the years,” MacGregor said in the news release. “Doug’s leadership has not just built a great fire department but a family.”
The village said the fire department is a “proud group of volunteers” and Point Edward residents have come to appreciate their “professional and dedicated service” under MacKenzie’s leadership.
“Doug MacKenzie has devoted 45 years to protecting and serving our community,” Hand said in a statement. “His leadership, commitment, and compassion have shaped Point Edward Fire & Rescue in immeasurable ways.”
Hand said village council is “sincerely grateful for his service.”
MacKenzie’s “knowledge, steadiness and unwavering dedication have been invaluable to our community,” said Jim Burns, the village’s chief administrative officer. “We wish him nothing but the very best in his retirement.”
Point Edward, a village of about 1,930 residents, sits next door to the City of Sarnia and is home to the Blue Water Bridge, an international crossing over the St. Clair River connecting Ontario and Michigan.