One fire chief has just started and another is preparing to make retirement stick this time.
Michael Mio started his new duties as Amherstburg fire chief Sept. 16 with retiring chief Bruce Montone closing out his tenure in the next few weeks.
“I am feeling very positive and I’m very much looking forward to (retirement),” said Montone. “I’ve tried to retire several times before and always ended up coming back. We’re going to try it again. I’m determined this time to make it stick.”
Montone has been a firefighter for 48.5 years, starting as a volunteer firefighter in Elliot Lake in July 1976. He would move to a full-time position in Kanata before returning to Elliot Lake.
“When I left Elliot Lake, I was chief fire prevention officer,” he stated.
Montone became fire chief in the northern Ontario community of Manitouwadge and after serving there, worked in the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM). He served with the OFM for 16 years, where he worked his way into a senior manager position.
While at the province, he worked in developing practices for northern fire prevention and developed training for fire services. He noted he is a certified program evaluator.
Then, his career saw him go to Ottawa and he spent ten years there, then retired for the first time.
Montone came out of retirement the first time to accept the chief’s position in Windsor.
“That was my first post-retirement job,” he said.
After seven years in Windsor, Montone made another attempt at retiring.
“I tried my hand at retiring again and ended up in Amherstburg in 2017,” he said. “I’ve been here in Amherstburg longer than I was in Windsor.”
During his career, he has helped create fire master plans in Ottawa, Windsor and Amherstburg.
Montone said he has served in all roles during his firefighting career.
“I’m proud of working my way up,” he said.
Firefighters in Amherstburg have been an active part in improving its fire service and helping it evolve. Montone said he hasn’t seen the level of participation elsewhere that he has in Amherstburg.
“For me, that was pretty cool, he said.
Montone thanked the councils he has worked for as well as the administrative members he has worked with.
“All they ever wanted to do was help me,” said Montone. “That’s pretty awesome.”
With Mio now on the job, Montone has been working to bring him up to speed and catch him up on what is happening.
Montone said he will miss the people but noted he will likely still be seen locally as he lives in LaSalle and will likely keep coming to Amherstburg to eat, shop and golf.
“It’ll be nice to sit back and relax,” he said.
Montone will be officially recognized as part of the Amherstburg Fire Department’s retirement and awards banquet, along with other long-serving firefightes, later this fall.
Mio said he is excited to be on the job and noted there is “a huge learning curve.” He said he is meeting the firefighters and staff and plans on getting out and meeting the community as there is an open house plans plus Fire Prevention Week activities.
The first week on the job was “everything I was expecting and more,” he added.
“Everyone has been really accommodating and helpful,” said Mio.
Mio said he is “stuck on Bruce’s hip,” calling Montone “a wealth of knowledge” that he is trying to learn from.
“He’s been good enough to stay around for the transition,” he said. “That much knowledge in the fire service is something you don’t find that often.”
Mio added he is trying to get up to speed at first before implementing any of his ideas. Mandatory certification is an issue facing all departments in Ontario, with Mio adding training officers are doing a good job.
Noting he has been greeted by OFM representatives and colleagues from surrounding departments, Mio added he is excited to finally come to Amherstburg and start working.
“It’s a good department we have here,” said Mio.
Transition of fire chief position from Montone to Mio underway
By Ron Giofu
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