Tema Foundation

Congratulations Chief Rizzi! 🚒👩‍🚒🚨

**** HRM Release

Halifax Regional Municipality welcomes Deryn Rizzi, incoming Chief of Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency

After a nationwide candidate search, Deryn Rizzi will become the new Chief of Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency (HRFE) on Aug. 17, 2026.

“I want to congratulate Chief Rizzi on her appointment and welcome her to Halifax Regional Municipality as she takes on this important role,” says Mayor Andy Fillmore. “With significant experience leading complex fire and emergency organizations, and a strong track record of operational excellence, she brings the expertise to lead HRFE through a period of continued growth while maintaining the high standard of public safety and emergency services. I look forward to working with Chief Rizzi and the entire HRFE team as we build on a proud tradition of service and continue delivering the high-quality emergency services residents count on every day.”

Chief Rizzi is well regarded for her transformative leadership, operational excellence and commitment to advancing public safety. She is dedicated to supporting firefighters by championing their safety, wellbeing and professional development.

“Following a comprehensive recruitment process, Chief Rizzi emerged as an exceptional candidate with extensive leadership experience and a strong commitment to public service,” says Brad Anguish, Acting Chief Administrative Officer. “As our region continues to grow, she will play an important role in leading HRFE, supporting our firefighters and delivering high-quality services people rely on every day.”

Chief Rizzi takes over the role from Acting Chief of HRFE, Dave Meldrum, who has held the position since October 2025. Acting Chief Meldrum began his fire service career in 1991 with the Dartmouth Fire Department, which would later become Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency in 1996. A graduate of Saint Mary's University, he also served with the Canadian Armed Forces Infantry reserve and in the private sector establishing and training industrial fire brigades and rescue teams.

Acting Chief Meldrum served in a variety of roles with HRFE, including Firefighter, Rescue Technician, Apparatus Operator, Training Officer, Division Captain (Training), Division Chief (Safety), Division Chief (Training), Deputy Chief and Acting Fire Chief. He also served as Shop Steward with the International Association of Firefighters, L268. His work has spanned fire suppression and rescue, incident management, media relations, labour relations, occupational health and safety, fire service technology, diversity, equity and inclusion, recruitment and adult education.

“I am honoured to join Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency and to serve alongside such a dedicated and respected team. Halifax’s fire service has a long and proud history, grounded in tradition, professionalism and service to the community,” says Chief Rizzi. “I look forward to working with the HRFE firefighters and IAFF Local 268 to build on that strong foundation - maintaining a clear focus on operational expertise, firefighter safety, and the consistent delivery of exceptional fire and life safety services.”

As Canada's oldest fire department, HRFE serves more than 500,000 residents throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality. With 51 fire stations and more than 1,000 career and volunteer firefighters, HRFE provides fire suppression, rescue, emergency medical response, fire prevention and public education services that help keep communities safe.

Biography for Chief Rizzi

Chief Rizzi began her firefighting career with Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service, in Vaughan, Ont., rising through the ranks to ultimately serve as Fire Chief.

Most recently, Chief Rizzi served as Fire Chief and Director of Toronto Pearson Fire and Emergency Services, where she led a fire service within Canada’s busiest international airport. In this role, she provided oversight to the Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute, a private career college and one of the country’s top fire training centres for pre-fire service students for structural firefighting and international aircraft rescue firefighters. She was also responsible for the airport’s emergency management, preparedness, and resilience portfolio.

Prior to her tenure at Toronto Pearson, Chief Rizzi served as Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management for the City of Mississauga, Ont., where she led a workforce of more than 830 fire service personnel and oversaw an annual operating budget of approximately $170 million. She advanced significant organizational transformation, including the delivery of over $134 million in capital infrastructure projects, fleet and equipment procurement and the implementation of modern, data-driven performance systems that strengthened accountability, operational readiness and service delivery.

Throughout her career, Chief Rizzi’s contributions have been recognized with some of the highest honours in public service, including being named Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers Association Fire Chief of the Year (2023), receiving the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal of Distinction in Public Administration (2022) and receiving the King Charles III Coronation Medal (2024) for her continued contributions to public service.

As a recognized thought leader, Chief Rizzi holds a PhD and a Master’s degree in Disaster and Emergency Management from York University, along with a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University. She has also completed multiple executive certifications through the Smith, Ivey, and Schulich Schools of Business. An active contributor to the advancement of the fire service profession, her writing has been shared in both national and international fire service publications.

What a beautiful day for a round of golf at the Chester Golf Club in support of Emeritus Golf Maritimes!

Emeritus Golf is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, active service members, first responders, and their families with access to the sport of golf through tournaments across five provinces. Using golf as an inclusive platform, they foster peer support, mental well-being, camaraderie, and meaningful social connection within these communities.

Our Board Chair, Karen Conter, was proud to represent the Tema Foundation as the Presenting Sponsor at this incredible event.

Congratulations to all of the volunteers who made the day such a success! To learn more about Emeritus Golf, visit: www.emeritusgolf.ca

We'd like to thank the Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers Association to allow our very own, Colleen Kamps to present yesterday, at this year's Training & Education Symposium held in Orillia, Ontario.

Colleen spoke to a group of over 200 officers about the importance of conversation, resilience, stress response and taking care of yourself, so you can keep show up for our communities.

These are the things we don’t hear about very often but they happen all the time. 👏 These two officers went beyond their regular duties to ensure the safety of not only the public but our furry friends we share this earth with 🦊

Thank you 🙏 Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Nova Scotia

What started as a routine patrol for an officer in Tantallon quickly turned into a life-saving mission for a furry friend. The officer spotted a family of foxes darting through traffic in a panicked dance.

Among them, one pup struggled significantly, her hind legs failing her as she tried to navigate the road. Realizing the immediate danger to both the animals and passing motorists, the officer activated their emergency lights, creating a shield for the family of foxes.

With the help of a second responding officer, the team secured the pained pup. Rather than leaving it to chance, they escorted the young fox to the experts at Hope For Wildlife. The small survivor is on the mend, showing steady progress each day.

It’s a reminder that a little extra caution at dusk and dawn goes a long way in protecting our wildlife that we often find using the roadways too.🦊 🦌