Kenneth W. Stuebing, BHSc, CCP(f)
Fire Chief, Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Over his career, Chief Ken Stuebing has provided strong, consistent leadership that utilizes team building, innovative emergency response systems and technology to cultivate a competent and proud emergency services workforce.
Chief Stuebing has over thirty-five (35) years of experience working with both career and volunteer emergency services across Canada and has a successful track record in the management of both fire and EMS. This experience enables him to bring a broad perspective on emergency services to Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency where he currently serves as the Fire Chief. In this position, he is responsible to the Council for the Provision of Fire Services and Emergency Management.
Chief Stuebing began his career as a Paramedic after graduating in 1984 and has worked in all types of EMS services in many communities and provinces across Canada. He culminated his clinical activity as a Critical Care Flight Paramedic on “Bandage 1” in Toronto, Canada and was the Education/Research Program Manager for Hamilton Health Sciences Base Hospital.
In 1988, Chief Stuebing became a career firefighter with the City of Kitchener Fire Department and over the years led many change initiatives and was promoted to Captain at the earliest opportunity. After serving as a Captain for almost six years he accepted the Assistant Chief of Operations position with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service in 2006. In this portfolio, Chief Stuebing was directly responsible for all aspects of operations in a large metropolitan career department with almost 1,200 firefighters, paramedics and arson strike force members. In late 2007, Stuebing was promoted to the Deputy Chief of Professional Development and led many change initiatives as a certified change manager with PROSCI Change Management. After serving almost eight years in Winnipeg, Chief Stuebing accepted a position in 2013 with Chatham-Kent Fire and Emergency Services, a composite fire & EMS service with emergency management responsibilities as the Fire Paramedic Chief. In 2017, Stuebing accepted the position which he now holds as the Executive Director and Fire Chief of Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency, a large metropolitan composite service with 1,100 members, 55 stations over 5,500 square kilometers and holds the distinction as Canada’s oldest fire department.
Chief Stuebing has been a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC), and the Canadian Division of the IAFC since 2006. He has served on the Membership, Fire & Life Safety, Performance Excellence, and the Diversity & Inclusion committees. Chief Stuebing served on the CAFC Board of Directors as the Division Secretary and as the IAFC Canadian Division International Director. In 2019 he was sworn in as the Second Vice President of the IAFC. Throughout his career, Chief Stuebing has maintained membership in provincial/regional Fire Chief and Paramedic Chief Associations.
Chief Stuebing holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences with Charles Sturt University in Australia, a Masters Certificate in Municipal Leadership with York University in Toronto, a Diploma from Seneca College and Certificate from Conestoga College in Aeromedical and Ambulance & Emergency Care, respectively. Chief Stuebing graduated from the Recruit Training and Fire Protection Technologies Programs at the Ontario Fire College (OFC) and served as a faculty member and content expert for the OFC’s Emergency Patient Care Program.
Chief Stuebing was licensed with the Province of Ontario as an Advanced Emergency Medical Care Attendant (A-EMCA) and Critical Care Flight Paramedic and was a founding faculty member for Primary, Advanced and Critical Care Flight Paramedic Training Programs at the Flight Academy in Toronto.
Chief Stuebing is a recipient of:
- the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal
- the Federal Exemplary Fire Service Medal
- the Federal Exemplary Emergency Medical Service Medal
Chief Stuebing is an avid sportsman and enjoys lacrosse, hockey, equestrian activities, camping and boating. He believes strongly in giving back and has been very involved for over three decades coaching high performance athletes in lacrosse, hockey, swimming and equestrian events. He has been married to Pamela for over thirty-five (35) years. They have two children, Justin and Brandon, who attended Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri, on a lacrosse scholarship and graduated with degrees and are now working.