Resignation leaves another gaping hole to fill
Lions Bay Chief Barret Germscheid's recent resignation means yet another blow to emergency services in the Village.
The announcement of his resignation on March 14 marks an end to his current role, though, according to Chief Executive Officer Ross Blackwell's announcement, Germscheid is expected to continue serving LBFR in a "reduced capacity."
Germscheid has held the role of Fire Chief for two years, with his appointment first announced in January, 2023. Prior to that he had a role as a trainer and facilitator with Lions Bay Fire Rescue (LBFR) for more than five years.
Blackwell lauded the retiring chief for his leadership skills, noting that his "expertise was particularly evident during the Battani Creek debris event, where his leadership played a critical role in emergency response efforts."
In his two years as Chief of LBFR, Germscheid has also held a full-time position with West Vancouver Fire & Rescue. The complexity of juggling both roles was cited as part of the reason Germscheid has stepped away from the position of Village Fire Chief.
The office of Fire Chief is not the only vacant emergency role at the moment.
Lions Bay has been without an Emergency Program Coordinator (EPC) since Phil Folkersen abruptly departed his position last May, along with leaving his mandate to create an updated Emergency Evacuation Plan unfulfilled.
Lions Bay’s Emergency Support Services (ESS) continues to be managed by longtime Village resident Mary Brown, who does the job as a volunteer (with a token honorarium). This position requires the oversight of a wide range of tasks including organizing food, lodging, clothing, emotional support and information during a crisis. In the past few months, Brown has organized and provided earthquake preparedness programs and events, and most recently took part in supporting the rescue and recovery efforts after last year's devastating landslide.
In addition, in the absence of an EPC, Brown has stepped forward to take on more than a dozen tasks that should be under the EPC purview, including managing Alertable notifications for the Village and applying for grants. "All the EPC work I've done has been done for free, because it needs to be done," said Brown.
The Village is currently accepting applications for a Director of Operations and a Parking and Parks Patroller, however the EPC position is no longer listed either on the Village website or on CIVIC BC. Director of Operations Karl Buhr announced his resignation late last year, but has continued in the position in the absence of a viable replacement.
Lions Bay is not yet among the six municipalities in the province who are seeking Fire Chiefs on Civic BC. And to date, no one has been announced in the position of interim Fire Chief for the Village.
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