Jim Wishlove

Fire Chief

A lifelong B.C. resident, Jim began his career in the fire service as a volunteer firefighter before being taken on-strength as a regular member of RFR in the spring of 1990.  

With RFR Jim served as a firefighter, a dispatcher, an instructor in several disciplines and progressed through the ranks to Training Officer and Company Officer, and was promoted to Deputy Chief in September of 2009.  In 2012 Jim made a lateral transition to the New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services, returned to Richmond in 2018, and currently serves as Fire Chief.  

A number of highlights that Jim appreciates include studying with the City’s Corporate University in executive leadership where he received the City of Richmond’s Corporate University Award of Distinction for Leadership Excellence, as well he received a peer nominated award for demonstrating positive leadership.  Jim recalls the construction and certification of the No. 2 Firehall in Steveston which was opened in 2011 as a great success for the City and the Department.  

Jim is a recipient of the British Columbia Long Service Award for serving 25 years in the Fire Service in the Province; as well he has received as the Federal Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal.  Jim was granted his designation as a Chartered Professional Manager through the Canadian Institute of Management in the fall of 2016.  

Jim has received education from a number of local institutions and holds certification from the Justice Institute of B.C., the Sauder School of Business, Simon Fraser University, the City of Richmond’s Corporate University, and Capilano University where he graduated from the Local Government Administration Program.

In his leisure time Jim enjoys travelling, skiing and is a piper and has twice played on-stage with Sir Paul McCartney during tours through Vancouver.