President of New Brunswick Association of Fire Chiefs questions decision, calls situation ‘highly unusual’
In June, Bath Fire Chief Stephen Armour appointed the Glassville Fire Chief as his deputy chief.
Al Downey replaced Cory Oakes in the role. The former deputy was not surprised by the appointment. Oakes believes he was pushed aside after taking his concerns about the department’s management to the District of Carleton North (DCN).
His grievances include poor communication from the chief to senior members, delays in getting fire apparatus inspected, and Armour firing two members who later applied and were accepted as firefighters in the Glassville Fire Department. Oakes also accuses the chief of playing favourites with friends and family in the department, which he said undermines morale at the station.
Oakes has been on the department for 29 years. Before becoming deputy chief, he was a captain for 15 years. He applied to keep his position, but says after a meeting with municipal leaders, he didn’t expect the interviews to happen.
“A few days before (the interview), five of us (firefighters) set up a meeting with (DCN Mayor) Andrew Harvey, and (Councillors) Scott Oakes and Laurel Bradstreet. Tristan Sipprell (Director of Public Safety and Emergency Services) and the CAO, Amy (McIntosh) were also there,” said Oakes.
Oakes said the CAO took what he described as “detailed notes” as the group raised its concerns with the municipality’s management.
The River Valley Sun asked the District of Carleton North for a copy of the meeting minutes. CAO McIntosh, Mayor Harvey, Councillors Oakes and Bradstreet, and Director Sipprell make up the municipality’s Public Safety Committee and all attended.
Under the province’s Municipalities Act, even if a committee meeting is closed to the public, the municipality must keep minutes, even when only the date, time, attendees, and subject matter discussed (legal, HR, etc.) can be made public.
McIntosh said no minutes were taken, as it was an “informal” meeting.
“I was assured during that meeting that the interviews wouldn’t go ahead until they looked into things,” said Oakes. “I left thinking, okay, we’re getting somewhere. That wasn’t the case. The interviews went ahead.”
A panel that included Chief Armour, Woodstock Fire Chief Harold McLellan, Oromocto Assistant Deputy Fire Chief Jerry Poirier, DCN Director Sipprell, and Eric Guerrette with the Office of the Fire Marshal interviewed Oakes and other candidates. While the panel can recommend candidates, Chief Armour makes the final decision.
Oakes said that how he was told he didn’t get the job further highlights the department’s communication problems.
“I arrived at the station for training a few nights later and was told by another firefighter to check my email,” said Oakes.
Minutes before training began, Chief Armour emailed Oakes to tell him he was no longer deputy chief.
“How unprofessional is that?” Oakes said. “He couldn’t even tell me when I arrived that night; couldn’t look me in the eye.”
The President of the New Brunswick Association of Fire Chiefs (NBAFC) is questioning Armour’s decision to hire another department’s chief as his deputy.
“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” said Roger Pitrie, who is also the fire chief in Rogersville. “I’ve heard of a few firefighters on two departments from time to time, but I’ve never heard of a chief of one becoming the deputy of another. This is uncommon.”
Pitrie said the decision is “highly unusual” and raises several questions, including how someone could do both jobs well.
“The workload. I mean, I would have to question why someone would want to be a chief and deputy. It’s interesting. I would like to know the ins and outs of what’s happening behind the scenes,” Pitrie said when reached by the River Valley Sun.
The NBAFC President said amalgamation has thrown a “wrench” into municipal fire departments and their management structures, as many municipalities now have to manage more than one department.
DCN now manages six departments and 145 volunteers.
“Everyone is still on a learning curve,” said Pitrie. “Municipalities are still trying to figure things out. There is considerable workload with this. I can’t imagine taking on that position when I was already chief.”
DCN’s by-laws and the Bath Fire Department’s by-laws don’t prevent a chief from one department from becoming a deputy chief or even chief at another station. The by-laws also don’t say how a deputy chief should be chosen, only that the position is for a five-year term.
Chief Armour agreed to an interview with the River Valley Sun. When this reporter arrived at Dingee Fire and Training Rescue Centre in Bath to discuss Oakes’ complaints, Deputy Chief Al Downey met me at the door.
“I hope you don’t mind if I sit in with you on the interview,” he said, holding out his hand to introduce himself.
Downey is the Glassville Fire Chief but has been a member of the Bath Fire Department for 11 years, and just recently served five years as Bath’s assistant deputy chief before becoming deputy chief. Downey doesn’t live in the Glassville or Bath jurisdictions but has a home in the Florenceville-Bristol Fire Department’s catchment area.
He says he takes exception with the NBAFC President’s comments.
“It’s almost like I’m being told how can you do this, when I haven’t had the chance to prove I can do it,” Downey said, adding that maybe they should ask that question after he’s been given a chance.
“I love this work,” he said. “This is what I live for.”
Downey, who also owns A-L Parts Ltd. In Upper Kent, was recently contracted by the municipality to “implement best practices” within the district’s six fire departments. The municipality paid the $15,000 consulting contract up front for the 2024 fiscal year. In an email, CAO McIntosh said Downey’s contract has been “subsequently extended through a verbal agreement.”
The district did not put the consulting contract out to tender.
“It was a sole source contract,” Mayor Harvey explained. “(It was) based on his experience and on an as-needed basis.”
Despite Oakes serving as deputy chief for four and a half years, he said he never had a face-to-face, sit-down meeting with Armour.
“Everything he wanted to discuss was done over text,” said Oakes.
“This comes down to accountability,” he said, adding that all issues the department faced, from firing two members to apparatus not being inspected before stickers expired to communication issues, come down to the chief and his leadership.
“Whether Stephen Armour likes it or not, the buck stops with him,” said Oakes.
In an email to the River Valley Sun, CAO McIntosh defended the deputy chief selection process and how the municipality handled Oakes’ concerns.
“This process was followed as outlined. The interview was conducted by a panel of four individuals from the fire service who were not members of the Bath Fire Department, ensuring an impartial selection process,” she wrote. “With respect to the fire truck inspections, all apparatus has been inspected and are current with their required inspections.”
She also defended Downey having multiple fire-related positions within the municipality.
“The Municipality does not have a by-law that prohibits this arrangement. At this time, we do not see this as a concern. It is important to remember that all members of our fire departments serve on a volunteer basis generously giving their time, knowledge, and commitment to help keep our communities safe. We are grateful for their dedication and willingness to serve wherever they are needed,” wrote McIntosh.
While Bath Fire Department by-laws set the deputy chief’s term at five years, no by-law addresses the chief’s term or the need for a chief to reapply every so many years. Armour has been the fire chief in Bath since 1999 and has never had a job performance review, nor have other district chiefs.
While the CAO meets with the fire chiefs each month, Mayor Harvey said those meetings focus more on management topics like budgets and other operational concerns.
Harvey said accountability for local chiefs could soon change. The municipality is working on a fire governance policy, which the mayor hopes will be ready for council’s review before the end of the year.
“That will address some of these things,” said Harvey. “I’m a big believer, too, that these are not lifetime positions. There needs to be accountability – back to the membership and back to the council. The way I look at it, if you’re doing a good job, you’ll continue doing that job.”
Armour, who spoke very little during the River Valley Sun interview, doesn’t believe he’s done anything wrong.
When asked about not meeting with his previous deputy, Armour maintained he was always available.
“My door is always open, and as far as equipment issues,” he said, referring to expired inspection stickers. “You think I can look after everything? No. That’s why I have people in place to do different jobs. If he (Oakes) was so concerned about things like this, and was a true leader, he’d address these things (internally) instead of going to the district after waiting five years.”
When asked why he, as chief, didn’t initiate meetings, Downey interjected.
“Realistically, this is the first time we’ve heard of any of these things,” Downey said, with Armour nodding in agreement.
Oakes says they’re unlikely to be hearing about these issues for the first time. Chief Armour sent out a survey to members in December 2025, and the district did the same in April 2026. He says Armour didn’t address anything department members raised in the survey, and the district never shared their results with firefighters.
He says the whole situation still leaves a nasty taste in his mouth.
“I’ve been a part of this department for 29 years, and this is how I’m treated? I care about the department and the people we serve,” he said. “That’s why I went to the municipality.”
Oakes said he’s waiting to see if things change before he decides on his future as a firefighter in Bath.
