The FIREWELL Research Champion series profile our firefighter collaborators and their critical contributions to our research on firefighter health and wellbeing.
Meet Chief Ken McMullen
Chief Ken McMullen is the Fire Chief and Emergency Services Manager of the Red Deer Fire Department. Chief McMullen has more than 21 years of firefighting experience, serving in various roles in the fire service: volunteer and full-time firefighter (Rocky View County), fire instructor (Rocky View County), fire inspector (Rocky View County), fire investigator (province of Alberta), Assistant Fire Chief (Airdrie and Calgary) and Assistant Chief (Calgary Emergency Management Agency).
Chief McMullen is also a Commander of the Canada Task Force 2 (Can-TF2), an ‘all-hazards’ Disaster Response Team that provided assistance at the Slave Lake fires in 2011, Calgary and High River floods in 2013 and Fort McMurray fires in 2016. The Can-TF2 team was awarded the inaugural (2017) Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award (Resilient Communities) by Public Safety Canada in recognition of their response to the 2016 Fort McMurray Fire.
Chief McMullen is a member of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) Board of Directors and the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT) Public Safety Steering Committee.
How are you involved in FIREWELL?
I participate in interviews on firefighters’ work health concerns and critical firefighting tasks. Findings from the interviews will inform future research projects and the development of a survey on firefighters’ work limitations. I also share my expertise on forestry firefighting and help recruit participants for research studies.
Chief McMullen’s Interviews
Red Deer’s new fire chief settling into new role (Red Deer Advocate, February 10, 2018)
Ken McMullen – Red Deer’s new Fire Chief (rdnewsNOW Red Deer, February 6, 2018)
Red Deer’s new fire chief brings experience, passion (Red Deer Advocate, February 6, 2018)
First day on the job for Red Deer’s new Fire Chief (Lancombe Online, February 6, 2018)
New fire chief excited to come to Red Deer (Red Deer Advocate, January 10, 2018)
New emergency services manager/fire chief for Red Deer (Red Deer Express, January 9, 2018)
Red Deer gets new Fire Chief (rdnewsNOW, January 9, 2018)
Chief McMullen’s Presentation & Article
Defining Success While Battling the Beast | Ken McMullen & Susan Henry (July 13, 2017)
Mental health identified as priority (Firefighting in Canada article, February 22, 2017)
Do you want to be a FIREWELL Research Champion?
If you’re a firefighter who would like to get involved in FIREWELL research, please contact us.