Doug Wegren named Saskatoon’s new fire chief

Saskatoon has a new fire chief.

The Saskatoon Fire Department announced that assistant chief Doug Wegren will assume the role, starting on Thursday.

He replaces Morgan Hackl, who retired in March after 36 years with the department.

Wegren started his career with the fire department back in 1999 as a firefighter and EMT. He said he’s humbled by the opportunity to lead an esteemed fire service.

“As the new Fire Chief, I am committed to working collaboratively with our partners and all orders of government,” Wegren said in a release.

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Wegren has worked in numerous leadership roles within the fire department and played an active role in the city’s emergency COVID-19 response.

“Doug is a strong and collaborative leader who has built close ties with the Saskatoon community,” Jeff Jorgenson, Saskatoon’s city manager, said in a statement.

“He has an impressive 25-year career at SFD progressing through increasing levels of job responsibility and accountability. Through his work at SFD, he has developed strong relationships with colleagues and community partners and demonstrated exceptional leadership across all areas of the fire service.”