The town’s newly hired fire chief and community emergency management coordinator (CEMC) says he is looking forward to taking on his new duties.
Michael Mio, whose hiring was announced publicly via press release last Tuesday morning, said he has been receiving congratulations and accolades both locally and provincially since his appointment was acknowledged. He learned he was the successful applicant during the last week of June.
“It’s been a little bit of a whirlwind since,” Mio told the River Town Times.
Mio pointed out he is currently an assistant chief of the fire and rescue division in Windsor, a department he has served since beginning his career in 1994.
“I was expecting to retire this year and wasn’t looking for anything else,” said Mio. He said the opportunity in Amherstburg arose and he decided to pursue it.
“Achieving the role of fire chief is an honourable one,” said Mio.
As reported last week, Mio has experience as a lead evaluator and proctor for the Office of the Fire Marshall. He also holds certifications in emergency management, incident management, Blue Card Command as well as many NFPA certifications. Additionally, he holds leadership level certifications in fire management as well as workplace mental health and wellness.
Mio believes his background in HAZMAT was to his advantage in getting the fire chief job in Amherstburg. Mio currently serves in the role of HAZMAT materials responder at the local and provincial levels. He helped develop the Ontario Fire Marshall’s Hazardous Materials Curriculum, used to train responders throughout the Province of Ontario. He serves as Team Lead for the Windsor Level 3 Provincial Hazardous Materials Response Team. Mio has also been described as “instrumental in the early development and success of the City of Windsor Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program ensuring public access to defibrillators in case of a medical emergency.”
Mio said he looks forward to reconnecting with current fire chief Bruce Montone and ensuring there is a smooth transition. Montone is scheduled to retire later this year.
“He’s got a wealth of knowledge,” Mio said of Montone. “I anticipate using as much of his knowledge as I can before he leaves.”
Noting he was a property owner in Amherstburg years ago and still comes to town frequently with his family for dinner, Mio said “Amherstburg has been one of the towns I’ve always loved.”
“The town is growing. Things are great. Keeping things going is my goal,” said Mio. “It’s a great atmosphere. The town has done a great job.”
Mio calls his new job, which takes effect Sept. 16, as exciting and he said he looks forward to meeting more people in town. He has also been the owner/operator of a small business supporting the Windsor-Essex County area for the last 30 years. He becomes the third straight fire chief to come to Amherstburg after having served in Windsor, following Montone and Al Reaume.
New fire chief eager to get started in Amherstburg
By Ron Giofu
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