In his 24 years in the Fire Service (21 of which is with the Victoria Fire Department), Acting Captain Jeremy Wilson is no stranger to leadership and professional development. Wilson has been an extremely active member at the VFD, having spent 6 years as Vice President of the Benevolent, contributed to the Victoria Fire Department’s Strategic Plan, 10 years as a First Aid instructor, and many more professional points of note. Wilson’s well-rounded skillsets, gained from his years in the Fire Service and extensive real-world business experience, provide a solid foundation to carry the title of Union President. Newly elected to the role of Union President, Jeremy Wilson talks about his motivation and intent:

“The opportunity to support the job that supported my family for so many years.  I owe much of my personal success to the fire service, and I felt that I carry skill sets that could help strengthen relationships both internally and externally.  I am a big believer and supporter that the fire service is built on history and tradition, but I also understand that we need to stay current and adapt to change.  This is a delicate balance that I can help keep our members prepared and informed."

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As the Vice President of the LOCAL 730, Captain Ian Thom brings his experience and participatory attitude from his decades of Fire Service experience. With over 31 years of work experience in the service (10 years in Vernon as paid on call, and 21 years for the Victoria Fire Department), this is not Captain Thom’s first term of service representing his Brothers and Sisters in the union. In 2010-14, Ian spent 4 years as a Trustee on the Local 730 Executive before taking a break to focus on his young family. Returning to serve the Union again, Captain Thom ran for Vice President (and was elected) in hopes of bringing strong leadership to the Executive.

“I believe in getting involved rather than just sitting on the sideline. As strong as our new executive body is, it is a young executive, and I thought I could bring some strong leadership to the group. I look forward to working with them to represent our membership”

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As Treasurer of the LOCAL 730, Engineer (Driver) Reed MacKenzie has a tremendous task. Reporting to members on how their financial contributions are being managed and dispersed requires knowledge and fiscal responsibility. As his first term on the Local 730 Executive, Reed has taken up the challenge with professionalism and skill obtained from his 24 years in the Fire Service and lifetime of business experience. With a desire to positively impact future contract negotiations, MacKenzie was motivated to join the Union by his keen interest in labor/management relations.

“I would like to try and take the thoughts and concerns I hear around the Fire Station, and use that information to implement changes that benefit the job as a whole”

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Captain Rich Fryer is an exemplary and dedicated member of the Victoria Fire Department with an impressive 29 years of experience in the Fire Service. Throughout his 23 years at the VFD, he has consistently demonstrated unwavering commitment and passion for the profession. Fryer’s focus on the technical aspects of firefighting has allowed him to excel in various specialized roles. He has served as a Fireboat Operator, Auto Extrication Instructor, Technical Rope Rescue Instructor, and Confined Space Instructor. Furthermore, his leadership qualities shine through as he led the Rope Rescue Team as the lead instructor for six years. In 2019, Rich Fryer assumed the crucial role of Assistant Chief of Training and Staff Development, where he was responsible for ensuring that the entire Suppression Division maintained the highest level of skill and readiness. His dedication to the betterment of the Victoria Fire Department and its members is evident in his continuous journey to enhance the department’s capabilities. In 2022, Fryer transitioned back to the Suppression Division, taking on the role of Captain. However, his commitment to improving the VFD didn’t stop with this transition. Leveraging his previous four years of experience as a Union Trustee, he assumed the position of Union Secretary, where his administrative abilities are put to work in the pursuit of assisting the Executive and further enhancing the Union’s operations. Captain Rich Fryer’s tireless work ethic and passion for firefighting have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the Victoria Fire Department.

“I have always wanted to leave the job better than it was when I started. I take pride in being organized and doing my best at everything I put my mind to. I believe that being part of the Union executive can help make the work environment better for everyone and ultimately making it the best place on earth to work.”

Graeme Humber has worked in the Fire Service for over 24 years. Seven of those years were fighting fires for the Province of British Columbia where he worked a Unit Crew as a Squad Boss. Transitioning to Structural Firefighting at the age of 28, Graeme has worked his way to the Rank of Engineer/Acting Captain (4th) and is respected by his peers. Among other things, Firefighter Humber instructs High Angle rope rescue courses for his brothers and sisters of the Victoria Fire Department. For the last 16 years, Graeme has been a member in good standing of the Local 730 and is now excited to begin his first term as Union Trustee. Graeme states:

“Since the beginning of my career as a professional firefighter, a term of servitude representing the interests of my colleagues has been on my radar. I believe that timing is everything and now in the infancy of my first term as a Trustee, I am looking forward to carrying out the common goals of my peers, with passion, transparency, and dedication.”

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Ryan Ayre is in his first term (2 years) serving as a Trustee for the Local 730, but in his 13 years with the Victoria Fire Department, Ryan has been a very active member. His efforts as President of the Victoria Firefighters Benevolent Society (VFFBS) have benefited his brother and sisters immensely by consistently keeping the needs of the membership a priority. Ryan has also dedicated much personal time for the last 8 years to the CFAX Santa’s Anonymous, and this year, starting his second annual campaign spearheading the initiative as Liaison for the Greater Victoria Fire Departments. As a pillar of philanthropy within the VFD, it was only inevitable that Firefighter Ayre turned his focus on serving his brothers and sisters on the Local 730 Executive board. Ryan notes the following as his motivation for being involved in the Union:

“I am motivated to serve on the LOCAL 730 executive to help my brothers and sisters of the union, navigate our ever-changing relationship with the newly appointed administration, the City of Victoria, and the many challenges facing the citizens of Victoria - like the continuing opioid crisis and COVID 19 pandemic. I am also looking forward to helping to make our Collective agreement work better for all members, by effecting positive change through collective bargaining with our partners the Administration and City of Victoria.”

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Beattie views his role as a Union Trustee primarily as a support role, one which sees him regularly liaising between our Union members and the Local 730 Executive. This dissemination of information is an integral part of running an efficient organization that represents the many individuals in our Union.

Craig consistently presents new ideas that help achieve our Union goals. As a Driver/Firefighter with 20 years in the fire service, 15 of which spent at the Victoria Fire Department, Firefighter Beattie has accomplished quite a bit. Beattie’s involvement in the VFD Union Charitable Organization stems his whole career, with contributions in Hurricane Katrina Relief, Fight for the Cause, Twice participated in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, Firefighter Calendar participant twice. Firefighter Beattie is also a 15 Veteran and one of the longest standing members of the Victoria Fire Honor Guard.

“As an out of the box thinker, I hope to bring fresh ideas and possibly look at things from a different perspective. I’m also a huge proponent of transparency and want to ensure the membership stay informed in hopes to mitigate rumors.”

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