Kingsville announces new fire chief after review calls change in leadership 'necessary'
John Quennell will replace Charles Parsons as fire chief
Kingsville Fire announced Friday that John Quennell will be replacing Charles Parsons as the department's fire chief after an independent review said a change in leadership was "necessary."
Earlier this week, the town said it decided to "move in a different direction" and remove Parsons, who was the fire chief for four years. Parsons' removal comes after an independent review was carried out on the department in October 2020.
It was conducted partly because of a water rescue in September that went awry.
At the time, a distress call was sent out for a vessel with three people requiring a rescue due to poor weather conditions. The fire department responded and launched a rescue boat with two firefighters on board.
The weather caused the boat with the firefighters to capsize, and the members issued a mayday call for help.
The firefighters and three other people were eventually rescued, but at the time, Parsons told CBC News that his crew was stranded in the water for two hours and developed mild hypothermia.
Following this, an independent review was launched and listed 22 recommendations for the fire department, including an update to its emergency response plan, training for staff in peer support and mental wellness, among others.
In October 2020, Quennell stepped in as Kingsville's temporary deputy fire chief and will now become chief on Jan. 25.
"We have recruited a highly competent chief officer who has years of experience in emergency operations," said John Norton, Kingsville's chief administrative officer, in a news release. "The Town of Kingsville has a highly regarded Fire Department and we are proud to move forward with Chief Quennell as its leader."
The town said it thanks Parsons for his "good service to our community and wishes him well in his future endeavours."
Starting next week, Quennell will be responsible for managing and operating the fire department, along with leading emergency responses including the COVID-19 crisis. He will also be a member of the town's senior management, according to a news release.