Duncan Rydall named first full-time fire chief for St. Joseph township

June 17, 2024, Richards Landing, Ont. —Duncan Rydall has been selected as the new fire chief for St. Joseph Fire & Rescue.

Rydall has 25 years of volunteer and professional fire fighting experience and previously served as the chief fire prevention officer for the town of The Blue Mountains for 14 years.

He will be the first full-time chief for the township of St. Joseph, filling the role after the departure of volunteer Chief Fraser Adams, who held the position for 13 years.

The town council and senior staff decided a full-time position was required due to the increasing administrative burden for volunteer fire departments to meet provincial legislative requirements alongside reduced provincially funded training opportunities, the township said in a statement.

The role combines the responsibilities of fire chief, protective services, by-law enforcement, building department administration, and workplace health and safety, the township said in a press release.