Fire Chief Laframboise goes full time

Shawville/Clarendon’s new full-time Fire Chief Lee Laframboise poses from behind the wheel of a fire truck. Photo by Hamish McKillop, THE EQUITY.

BY HAMISH MCKILLOP
Equity Reporter

“It’s needed, and I want to do it, so that’s a good combination,” was the response given by Shawville/Clarendon Fire Chief Lee Laframboise, who took on full-time hours at the fire department this week. A press conference was held Monday at the fire hall in Shawville announcing that day as the first day Laframboise would be assuming the job as fire chief in a full-time capacity.

Working more than 40 hours per week, this makes Laframboise the only full-time fire chief in MRC Pontiac. Both Shawville Mayor Albert Armstrong and Clarendon Mayor Jack Lang were present to congratulate the fire chief on the full-time arrangement the Shawville mayor described as “something we had been considering for at least a year.”

The head of the Fire Commission in Shawville, Jim Hodgins, said, “I think it was time. I recommended it, basically. It’s a changing of the times, and the day and age has come that this has to happen.

“This Fire Safety Cover Plan brought on a lot of work, and … there’s just not enough time for a part timer any more,” said Hodgins.

Hand shakes between the two mayors and the now permanent fire chief triggered a round of applause from fire commissioners of both municipalities on the station’s main floor, who were present, as well as Clarendon’s Director General Ruth Potter.

Laframboise, who has been a firefighter for approximately 22 years and has served as fire chief since June of 1998, said the reason he took on full-time responsibilities is due to a large growth in administrative work, with emphasis on the Fire Safety Cover Plan.

See Page one of the July 18, 2012 issue of THE EQUITY for more.