The "deputy” will soon be dropped from deputy fire chief Kevin Lyslo's title as he moves into the lead role at the city's fire department next Monday.

The city announced Friday that Lyslo will assume the role of the city's next fire chief when current chief Clive Sparks retires at the end of the month.

The pay range for the fire chief is between $113,688 and $128,073 annually.

"We are pleased to have found such a well-qualified candidate within our organization,” Mayor Dan Curtis said.

"Kevin Lyslo brings many skills to this position, including an excellent understanding of the city's operations. This will allow for a smooth transition.”

From last May to mid-January, Lyslo took on the role of acting fire chief while Sparks was the city's acting director of infrastructure.

"It was a really good experience,” Lyslo, 43, said in an interview this morning.

The stint confirmed his interest in the position, allowing him to take on the role while still having Sparks nearby when he had questions.

"It was an excellent way to get my feet wet,” Lyslo said as he went on to describe his other reasons for applying to the job.

"Our department is full of great people,” Lyslo said as he described his co-workers as motivated and wanting to do the best job for the city.

Getting to lead that team is a great opportunity, he said.

The job of fire chief also comes with the benefits for family life, he said as he pointed out the shift work of being a firefighter has meant he's often working shifts when his wife and three children are at home.

With a daytime work schedule, the job of fire chief means Lyslo can expect to be home and spending time with his family when they are home in the evenings and on weekends.

Lyslo has been in the city's fire service for two decades, having joined as a volunteer in 1994.

At the time, he wanted to get involved with emergency services in some way, and had been thinking of following in his father's footsteps as an RCMP officer.

However, he said, "this door opened and I never looked back.”

There's a good feeling and accomplishment that comes with helping someone through what is possibly their worst day, Lyslo said when asked what's kept him with the department for 20 years.

He became a full-time firefighter 15 years ago and started taking on leading roles since 2008 as captain, platoon chief and then deputy chief.

As he's moved up the ranks, Lyslo said he's enjoyed serving members and the department in working to ensure it has the right equipment and training to serve the city.

"I know he has the skills and ability to do the job,” Sparks said in an interview this morning, noting he's happy to see to the position go to someone with experience in the department.

Sparks was involved in bringing Lyslo on as a volunteer firefighter, hiring him as a full-time firefighter and promotions along the way, though Sparks was not part of the hiring committee for a new chief.

Lyslo, he said, is a "good, well-qualified” firefighter who has worked his way up over the years.

Sparks, who's been in the role of fire chief since 2000, came back to his regular duties earlier in January to wrap up his 40-year firefighting career with the fire department.

"We thank fire chief Sparks for his tremendous service and contributions to the city,” Curtis said. "He has overseen some major changes and improvements within the fire department.

"Most recently, he initiated a strategic planning process that will continue under the leadership of Kevin Lyslo.”

Lyslo's promotion will leave the city without a deputy chief, leaving a new job opening in the department and city staff working on a new "job opportunities” posting.

"That will begin shortly,” Barbara Walker, manager of human resources said this morning.

It could take at least a couple of months to find a new deputy chief.

Once the job is posted, there's normally a three- to four-week period before the application period closes

It's another five weeks or so of shortlisting candidates and interviews before the job is offered to someone and potentially accepted.