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Different leader for tumultuous times
Video at lfpress.com Lori Hamer lands top job as London Fire Department seeks stability after firestorm of harassment claims
Megan Stacey
The London Free Press
The first woman fire chief in Lon-
don’s history, who cut her teeth in
a different end of the profession,
says she can lead differently.
Newly minted chief Lori Hamer
is taking over the top job at a tu-
multuous time, as the London fire
department looks to stabilize after
harassment allegations and claims
of a “toxic” workplace prompted
city hall to launch an investigation
and culture review in March.
“I’m humbled and honoured, ob-
viously, to be working alongside all
the men and women at the Lon-
don fire department,” Hamer told
The Free Press on Monday, after a
weekend where crews battled two
Holder could reshape mayor’s race, pundits say
Norman De Bono
The London Free Press
Former MP Ed Holder’s loom-
ing entry into the London mayor-
al race could drastically alter the
fall civic election, political pun-
dits say.
Holder, 63, began messaging
some Londoners Monday, saying
he will make an announcement
Thursday at Innovation Works.
One of the city’s worst kept secrets
is that the two-term former Con-
servative MP has been beating the
bushes in recent months, meeting
businesspeople to gauge feedback
on a mayoral run.
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“They’re an extremely highly
skilled group of people with a lot of
knowledge and a lot of experience
that I want to draw on to help us
build the strong department that
we know we can be,“ she added.
Hamer, who’s been with the Lon-
don Fire Department since 2016,
when she was hired as a depu-
ty chief of communications, has
made it a central goal to meet with
fire crews and hear directly from
employees about concerns since
she took over as acting chief in
March.
Her career in firefighting has
been spent not on the front lines
fighting fires, but in communica-
tions and management.
Hamer was appointed acting
The response
has been over-
whelmingly
supportive, and
he will make it
official Thurs-
day, say politi-
cal insiders.
“He is a seri- Holder
ous contender,”
said Martin Horak, a political sci-
ence professor at Western Univer-
sity and associate director of the
school’s Centre for Urban Policy
and Local Governance. “He has
made significant contributions to
the community. I think a lot of peo-
ple think positively of him.”
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
chief as the fire department be-
came embroiled in workplace
harassment allegations, and after
former chief John Kobarda’s retire-
ment was suddenly announced.
Acting deputy chief Jack Burt
called it “a new frontier,” describ-
ing Hamer as a well-rounded and
open leader.
Union boss Jason Timlick said
Hamer’s style is “refreshing.”
“I’ve seen a change under her
leadership as fire chief,” Timlick,
president of the London Profes-
sional Fire Fighters Association,
said.
“What she’s been able to achieve
over the past couple months as act-
ing fire chief is amazing.”
He pointed to Hamer’s efforts
to meet each one of her employ-
Holder offers change for those
looking for a different municipal
voice, but is familiar as a former
London West MP who served in
Stephen Harper’s government. His
name recognition extends to years
spent actively supporting commu-
nity events, including the Business
Cares Food Drive he co-chaired for
many years.
Like mayoral hopefuls Paul
Paolatto and Paul Cheng, Holder
will be seen as a fiscal conserva-
tive, attractive to those who op-
pose council’s “city building agen-
da” that’s seen it go for ambitious
projects like bus rapid transit.
See mayor | A5
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Mike Hensen/The London Free Press
ees, by “going out and actually lis- only a few female fire chiefs in
tening and speaking and hearing Ontario.
from them.” For Hamer, her experience, in-
“Like every person, she has a dif- cluding two decades in fire com-
ferent leadership style. It’s been munications and management
very refreshing,” Timlick said. roles at the Kitchener and Lon-
As much as she’s already made don fire departments, is much
her mark as the first woman to lead more relevant.
the city’s fire department, Hamer See chief | A5
said she doesn’t want her legacy to
be about gender. About Chief Hamer
The city spent more than three Age: 47
months recruiting for a new fire
Born: Port Elgin
chief. City hall officials said the
process was competitive, though Lives: London
they wouldn’t release the number Family: Married 24 years with two
of applicants or interviews. sons, 18 and 20 years old
It’s hard to deny that Hamer is Career: 22 years in communications
something of a pioneer. and management, 20 with Kitchener
She’s the first woman to lead the fire department
city’s fire department, and one of
INSIDE we asked you...
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