Cariboo RD accepts Interlakes Fire Chief's resignation

Courtesy of the Cariboo Regional District:

The Cariboo Regional District (CRD) has accepted the resignation of Fire Chief Todd Schley, who has led the Interlakes Volunteer Fire Department for the past year. Fire Chief Schley’s resignation will be effective as of February 15, 2023. The CRD commends him for his dedication to public safety, support for professional development within the department, and working to resolve long standing issues with training and safety standards which were identified in the 2020 Fire Services Review.

Fire Chief Schley started volunteering with the Interlakes Volunteer Fire Department in 2017, and has held the roles of Fire Fighter and Deputy Fire Chief of Hall 2 before serving as the department’s Fire Chief. During his tenure, he ensured that there was a strong focus on public safety education and awareness, while also navigating significant service disruptions from COVID-19 and declining membership levels.

“Fire Chief Schley was a motivated and effective Fire Chief who conducted himself in the best interest of the Interlakes Fire Department and communities it serves,” said Brian Carruthers, the Interim Chief Administrative Officer of the Cariboo Regional District. “We cannot thank him enough for the professionalism, perseverance, and resiliency he demonstrated throughout his tenure as Fire Chief. We wish him the very best in his future endeavours.”

The CRD has notified the volunteers within the department of the resignation and will work towards appointing an interim Fire Chief to lead the department while the CRD recruits for a permanent Fire Chief.

Chief Schley had announced his intent to resign from his role as Fire Chief prior to the CRD engaging a third party to assess the department, and agreed to stay in his role until the assessment was completed. The assessment was undertaken to better understand the root causes of ongoing challenges within the department, which is struggling to meet minimum membership and training standards. The final results of the assessment will help inform how the Interlakes Volunteer Fire Department and CRD can move forward for the benefit of the members and the communities they serve.