Hope – The Hope Fire Department has appointed Lieutenant David Hick to the position of FireSmart Coordinator and promoted him to the rank of Assistant Chief. Mr. Hick has been a resident of Hope for the last 16 years and has been a member of the volunteer fire department for the last 10.
On behalf of the Hope Fire Department, Hick has deployed to many of the major wildfire events in BC since 2017. They have included Williams Lake, Lytton and most recently, West Kelowna. He is trained in FireSmart principles as well as wildfire structure defense and protection tactics. His firsthand knowledge of wildfire behaviour and successful mitigation strategies will prove invaluable in this new role.
Complementing his experience in the fire service is Hick’s experience in the private sector. This includes over 20 years as a senior executive in the global technology and services industries where he specialized in Sales and Marketing. In addition to this experience, Hick is a serial entrepreneur who, while living in Hope, has managed a number of projects across a diverse portfolio. These have included everything from building West Coast fishing lodges to commercial real estate and self-storage businesses.
“I am really excited to launch the FireSmart program in Hope because it is a perfect way for me to combine my professional experience with my passion for helping to build a more resilient community”, says Hick. “It is an honour to have been selected for the role and I applaud Chief Cameron and the District for their leadership and stewardship of the project which made it possible”
