Fire chief was dedicated to public service
Former Victoria fire chief and city councillor Eric Simmons, who devoted much of his life to public service, has died. He was 99. Victoria Fire Chief Paul Bruce described Simmons as the department’s patriarch and one of its most ardent supporters.
“He’s been an advocate for the fire department since 1946,” Bruce said, noting that Simmons was hired by the department that year after returning from service in the Second World War.
He became the deputy chief in 1965 and took the top job in 1967, serving in that role for the next 13 years.
“He was dedicated to public service, regardless of what that service was,” said former Victoria fire chief Mike Heppell, who served as deputy chief under Simmons.
“He held that in the highest regard — to be able to serve the public in a responsible manner. And that’s the way he managed the Victoria Fire Department during his time.”
Simmons’ father, Calgary firefighter Arthur Simmons, died battling a blaze at a packing plant in 1948, and Heppell believes that influenced Eric Simmons’ leadership style.
Before becoming chief, Simmons served as union president and was a strong advocate for firefighter safety and improved working conditions — something he continued to pursue as chief, Heppell said.
“He was very concerned and spent considerable effort and energy developing fire-prevention programs for the city and for training and staff development within the department,” he said. “He was very keen on those two subjects.”
Simmons retired from the department in 1980 and went on to serve 10 years as a city councillor.
Victoria Coun. Geoff Young, who served alongside Simmons, remembers him as a knowledgeable councillor who knew the city well.
“In those days, there weren’t real party divisions on council,” he said. “So I would have agreed with him on many issues and disagreed on a few.”
He said Simmons always struck him as an “honest, straightforward councillor” who took a region-wide view when it came to dealing with issues — including pollution from storm drains. “I was not on the CRD at that time, but Eric was and that was one of the things he spent a long time negotiating about,” Young said.
Bruce said Simmons’ public service took many forms, including stints as a member, director or volunteer with the Fire Chiefs Association of B.C., the B.C. Professional Firefighters Association, Union of B.C. Municipalities, SilverThreads, Canadian Red Cross, United Way, Royal Jubilee Hospital and Victoria Police Board.
He earned the city’s honorary citizen award in 2004 and every year, a member of the Victoria Fire Department receives the Eric Simmons Community Service Award for outstanding service and promoting the department’s role in the community.
Simmons was predeceased by his wife, Anne, who died on Oct. 12.