Ottawa fire chief selected for prestigious security program

Posted by the Ottawa Sun

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Ottawa fire chief selected for prestigious security program
JON WILLING, City Hall Bureau

Fire Chief John deHooge has been selected as the first international candidate to participate in a prestigious national security program in the U.S.

The Centre for Homeland Defence and Security's executive leaders program will begin this fall at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.

One of the goals of the program is to help government and private sector leaders to develop counter-terrorism tools.

According to the program's website, candidates are selected based on their positions and security responsibilities. The program, which is completely funded by the U.S. government, is set up so the professionals can establish new homeland security policies and strategies.

The most recent program graduated 33 professionals.

"Being the first international participant is quite an honour and privilege," deHooge said Thursday.

"I know when I applied how difficult it was."

deHooge expects his participation will open the doors for more candidates from outside the U.S. He said his emergency services position in Canada's capital was likely an attractive part of his application.

The program runs four weeks spread out over several months. deHooge said he expects to be in California in November for the first section.

deHooge joined the Ottawa Fire Services at the beginning of 2010 after serving as fire chief in Waterloo, Ont. He currently is director of the Canadian division of the International Fire Chiefs Association.

The U.S. program will add to deHooge's credentials. He holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Western Ontario.

Susan Jones, Ottawa's general manager of emergency and protective services, told city council in a memo that the program will "provide critical insight into protecting our nation's capital."

jon.willing sunmedia.ca