Company/Association News

• MATTHEW PEGG was appointed as the new chief of the Toronto (Ontario, Canada) Fire Services (TFS) after serving as its interim chief since May 2016. His appointment follows a North America-wide recruitment search. Pegg served as President of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs for three consecutive terms and was deputy fire chief/director of administrative services in Toronto from 2013 to 2016. In his new role, Pegg will focus on leading the implementation of the TFS’s Transformation Plan, which was developed and launched as part of the 2016 Toronto Fire Services budget process. TFS is the largest fire service in Canada with 3,176 full-time personnel.

• SHERRY LANDRY was named interim chief of the Jeanerette (LA) Fire Department (JFD), making her the first woman ever to lead the department. Landry, a four-year member of the JFD, was appointed after former chief Jesse Hebert stepped down from the post; he is still with the department. In addition to heading the department, Landry also serves as a rural mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service.

• BEN WOZNEY was sworn in as the new chief of the Wilmette (IL) Fire Department (WFD) on August 2. Wozney takes over for former chief Mike McGreal, who retired that same day. Wozney joined the WFD as a firefighter and paramedic in 1995. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2010 and was named a duty chief in 2015 before being named deputy chief in 2016. He has served as director of the MABAS Division III water rescue team, overseeing a team of 86 members from fire departments across the region. As WFD deputy chief, he has been responsible for managing the WFD staff’s daily operations as well as its strategic plan and employee development.

company/association news

• O₂X, a tactical fitness program that helps save the lives of firefighters and maximizes human performance for tactical athletes and elite organizations, brought its all-encompassing training curriculum to the 2017 Chicago Blackhawks prospect camp. At the camp, O₂X delivered a systematic approach to player performance in the areas of development and growth of core values; mental performance and readiness; sleep and performance; yoga and movement; player accountability, debriefing, and communication; and building resilience. The company’s core mission is to provide science-backed, comprehensive training and education so individuals and teams can achieve and sustain high levels of performance. https://O₂x.com.
• SCOTT SAFETY was selected by the state of California to provide industry-leading technology and equipment to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to help keep a team of 5,600 firefighters safe in the harshest environments. ALLSTAR Fire Equipment, Scott Safety’s distribution partner, helped initiate the new contract and will service CAL FIRE throughout California. CAL FIRE’s new Scott Safety equipment will include 2,400 self-contained breathing apparatus, which exceeds the industry’s current heat protection requirements and include features such as variable cylinder pressures, dual-redundant pressure reducers, and smart backframe contour design. www.scottsafety.com.