Get to know our new Director of Emergency and Protective Services, Phyllis Forsyth!
As a seasoned municipal employee with over 30 years of experience in Municipal Administration and Emergency Services I am delighted to join the management team in Fox Creek. Many of you are wondering – who is this person and what does she know, so following you can find out a bit about me.
My professional journey to this position has been a continual progression up the municipal administration ladder and includes education and experience starting at the bottom and working my way through reception, finance, development, emergency management and prior to coming to Fox Creek as Chief Administrative Officer to 5 small municipalities. This along with my personal adventures in emergency services as a spouse to a provincial enforcement officer allows me to bring a multi-discipline approach to this position.
My husband served 36 years with the provincial government with Alberta Parks Service, Transportation and Fish and Wildlife in remote areas of the province giving me the opportunity to serve my communities as a member of the Nordegg Volunteer Fire Department (fire) , a member of the Rocky Mountain House Search and Rescue (ground search and rescue, ice rescue, mountain rescue, swift water rescue), an EMT-A with Specialty Medical Services in Rocky Mountain House and volunteer with Nordegg Ambulance.
I have worked with Alberta Parks (SOP consultant); FEMA (planning consultant); Clearwater Emergency Management Agency (staff); and the Lacombe Regional Emergency Management Agency (staff – regional planning).
Education is a great thing and I have had the opportunities to put my training to the test with multiple responses including being on one of the first ground search teams after the Pine Lake Tornado (2000); the Clearwater Fires (2001); the Clearwater floods and anthrax of (2002); the Big Valley stage collapse of 2009.
I am the recipient of the Alberta Emergency Service Medal and a Certified Local Government Manager; my journey is a combination of book smarts and street smarts and I look forward to serving the CAO, Council and the residents of Fox Creek to the best of my abilities.