The position of fire chief was left vacant in August when Cody Langlois resigned from the Kamsack Volunteer Fire Department (KVFD) to pursue other opportunities.
On November 4, the man who was filling the position as acting fire chief, took over the position. Ken Thompson, who has been a member of the KVFD since 1993, began duties as fire chief and EMO (Emergency Management Organization) coordinator.
Thompson has also been the area coroner for five years and has been with DMAC (Duck Mountain Ambulance Care) as an EMT (emergency medical technician) for over 20 years.
The new fire chief position is part-time at 20 hours per week.
In the past Thompson has been a volunteer with Forest and Fire for the Department of Natural Resources. His goal is to make sure all firefighters are well-trained and aware of safety protocols.
鈥淚 am passionate about stressing the safety aspect of the job for the firefighters, as I have a lot of background experience in that area,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 look forward to working with the fire district, town and volunteers.
鈥淚n this line of work, training is ongoing, and I attend conferences to keep up with the industry.鈥�
Thompson is a fire service instructor and inspector and a fire scene examiner.
鈥淚 enjoy when the children come out to the fire hall for tours. It鈥檚 good to teach them about fire safety, and fun to see their excitement when they see the fire trucks,鈥� he said.
He also enjoys the company of his dachshund, 13-year old Sammy.
The KVFD is always looking for new volunteers, and if anyone is interested in joining, or for more information, contact the town office or Thompson.
