City of Waterloo welcomes first female fire chief
Posted Sep 15, 2026 06:22:26 AM.
Sandy van Solm is officially the new fire chief in the City of Waterloo.
Waterloo City Council unanimously passed the decision at a council meeting Monday.
Chief van Solm had been in the acting chief role since last July, when it was announced former Fire Chief Richard Hepditch would be retiring.
Hepditch was in the top role for over 12 years, serving the community for over 31 years.
Now officially in the fire chief position, van Solm comes with plenty of experience here locally and beyond. She is also the first woman to hold the role in the City of Waterloo.
She joined Waterloo Fire Rescue as it braced for the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as Deputy Chief, and has been a key player with service ever since.
She has been described as a supportive leader who provided stability for the team and for the community over the past several years.
“Chief van Solm is a respected leader in emergency response planning and education, with a particular interest in improving the emergency response for vulnerable populations during emergencies and disasters,” read a release from the city.
Outside of van Solm’s duties with Waterloo Fire Rescue, she also brings 25 years of public safety experience to the service.
This includes Emergency Management with the Region of Waterloo and the GTAA, and Emergency Management and Fire Services in Amsterdam-Amstelland Fire Services.
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