A new chief has been hired for the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service

There's a new person in charge of Winnipeg's fire paramedic service.

John Lane, who starts next month, will fill the role left vacant when Reid Douglas was fired in September 2013.

Douglas, who has been embroiled in controversy over a special land swap and sale of fire halls, has been chief for two years and has been with the force for more than 35 years.

Line was in charge of the Prince George fire service in British Columbia before resigning in August after two years on the job, according to news reports in that province.

The reason for his resignation was not disclosed.

Winnipeg Firefighters Union President Alex Forrest knows Lane and welcomes him to the city. He said Lane was not only a Prince George chief, but also a leader in the BC firefighting community.

Lane's career also includes time as a firefighter in Toronto, where paramedics are part of the same department as in Winnipeg, Forrest said.

“He really knows the value of fire-based EMS, and he's also a career firefighter. So I think it's a good fit for Winnipeg,” Forrest said.

He added that one of Lanes' priorities should be dealing with Winnipeg's perennial burning problem.

“It's taken us a generation to get to the fire issues we've had in Winnipeg, and it's going to take another generation to address them, and I think that should be one of his top priorities,” Forrest said.