The BIG announcement
On the heels of his 30th anniversary celebration as Chief for the City of Morden with Morden Fire and Rescue (MFR), Chief Andy Thiessen announced his retirement.
"My last day will be the end of September. So yeah, it's going to be an interesting summer."
When talking about what finalized the decision for him, he responded, "The grandkids and other things that I'd like to do have taken over. It's funny how that works. All these little ones can change your life, but they do. And so, we're going to try to adapt."
He has learned a lot over the past 30 years as Chief of MFR for the City of Morden
"The biggest thing is to listen to the guys that are in the department. One person's decision is not always the right one, but if you listen to advice from the people that you're working with and then make a decision, it's probably a good one. And that's sort of what I've. Try to lean on. Sometimes you have to make some tough decisions on your own but generally listen to the members around you."
Notable fires
When reminiscing about some of the big fires he's seen over the years, there was a couple that stood out.
"Well, the biggest one in our community for myself, because I'm a golf fan, is just the recent golf course. (Minnewasta Golf and Country Club) It's one that's gonna leave a little nick in my side for a while. The biggest one, though, that I responded to was very early in my career, and that was the Ecusta fire outside of Winkler, where the whole mutual aid jumped in. That was a big fire. There was a tragedy there, and those are the big ones I'll remember."
Related stories:
- Morden Fire Chief Andy Thiessen celebrates 30 years of leadership
- After Minnewasta clubhouse’s grim fire, what does finding the cause look like?
Advice for his successor
"Be patient. I guess it's probably the biggest one. Things don't happen overnight. Lean on the people around you. They're all good things."
What will you miss?
His voice cracked, and the tears welled up in his eyes when asked, "What are you going to miss?"
"Everything...everything."
Thiessen's 45 years of service will come to an end at the end of September.
Three words to describe Chief Andy, his sense of humour, and what is appreciated and what will be missed are some of the things Thiessen's colleagues and members took time to share in this tribute video.