Karen Fry, 53, was the first ever female fire chief in Nanaimo. She'll soon earn that distinction with the City of Vancouver. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

job promotion

Nanaimo Fire Rescue chief becomes first female head of Vancouver Fire Rescue Service

Nov 20, 2020 | 11:42 AM

NANAIMO — Karen Fry’s climb up the firefighting career ladder made another significant step forward.

The City of Vancouver announced Fry, 53, has been hired to head its Fire Rescue Service, and will become the department’s first ever permanent female chief.

Fry has been chief of Nanaimo Fire Rescue (NFR) since the summer of 2017.

“We’re definitely making inroads and I think women bring a little bit different perspective to the fire service, Vancouver is ready for that. I’m super excited to be part of their team,” Fry told NanaimoNewsNOW.

She’ll leave her post with NFR in the new year to assume her new duties with the City of Vancouver beginning Jan. 4, 2021.

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Fry believes she has a well-rounded skill-set to serve the high-profile post in Vancouver.

She has been a chief officer since 2006 and previously served as deputy chief of the Surrey Fire Service for a decade.

Fry assumed a much larger rule during her tenure as chief of NFR, overseeing the bylaw department, municipal police and emergency management for two years.

Fry said she’s proud of how NFR has evolved in recent years, pointing to a broad based service with a range of skills.

“It’s a path of public education, safety, training and response. I think they’re definitely on the way and they know where they’re going. I’m proud over the entire organization.”

Nanaimo’s outgoing fire chief also referenced the importance of the firehall #1 project being built now in Downtown Nanaimo, which is slated to open in about two years.

Fry, a mother of five children who grew up in Nanaimo, was first hired as a dispatcher with NFR in 1999.

When Fry secured NFR’s top job in 2017 she was only the second ever female chief of a non volunteer fire department in the province’s history.

The City of Nanaimo’s human resources department will assume the hiring process to replace Fry.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes