The chief operating officer of Wood Buffalo, Brian Makey, was recently offered the position of Fire Chief for Red Deer and the offer was accepted. The former Wood Buffalo COO will start the new position in October, with October 6 being his first day on the job. Brian Makey has a long history in Red Deer and the Wood Buffalo region, he has worked for almost 30 years with the municipality. During much of this time Makey was a firefighter. In 1986 when Brian Makey arrived in Fort MacMurray and the Wood Buffalo area he started low on the ladder. Through the years since Brian has advanced swiftly, with positions as a fire lieutenant, fire deputy chief, and then regional fire chief. For 12 years Makey also served as the Fort McMurray Firefighters’ IAFF Local 2494 Union President.
When Brian Makey took the position as COO in 2012 there was no doubt he was qualified, but as the recent change shows his heart has always been in fighting fires. As the new Red Deer Fire Chief Makey is doing what he loves and what he is good at. According to Makey “I have been proud to call Fort McMurray my home for the last thirty years. My wife and I have been very involved in the community, and we have seen tremendous growth and change during our time here. My career with the municipality has been rewarding, meaningful, and something I am proud of. I have always been passionate about public safety and emergency services. This is an opportunity which I am looking forward to.”