SWOX and Zorra Townships hire shared deputy fire chief

Debbie Kasman, Tillsonburg Post Correspondent

South-West Oxford (SWOX) and Zorra Townships have promoted Jeremy Wallace to the position of Shared Deputy Fire Chief, serving both municipalities.

Wallace brings more than 20 years of fire service experience, and a strong commitment to leadership, firefighter safety, training, and community service. He is well known for his collaborative approach, professionalism, and dedication to continuous improvement. He is also part of a proud multi-generational fire service family.

In addition to his municipal fire service experience, Wallace also serves with the London International Airport as a firefighter and team lead, bringing valuable expertise in specialized and high-risk emergency response operations.

Both townships approved, in principle, a shared fire service leadership model in February. The combined salary and associated employment costs for this position will be cost-shared equally between the two municipalities.

The intention of this model is not to amalgamate services, but rather to strengthen leadership capacity, enhance operational resilience, improve continuity of operations, and provide a more sustainable structure for both municipalities while maintaining independent fire services, governance, and community identity.