Municipality of Lambton Shores Announces New Fire Chief

The Municipality of Lambton Shores is pleased to announce the appointment of Sean Smith as fire chief for Lambton Shores Fire and Emergency Services.

The announcement follows a recent leadership transition within the department as former Fire Chief James Marshall pursues a new professional opportunity.

Smith brings extensive experience and a long history of service with the department. He joined the department in 2010 as an on-call firefighter with the Forest Station before being promoted to captain in 2015. In 2021, he joined the Municipality of Lambton Shores in a full-time role as Manager of By-Law Enforcement and later assumed the role of Deputy Fire Chief of Training in 2023.

As deputy chief of training, Smith has played an important role in firefighter development and operational readiness. Under his leadership, Lambton Shores firefighters successfully achieved all provincially mandated training and certification requirements within the required timelines. As fire chief, Smith will provide strong leadership that supports the continued delivery of fire and emergency services to the community.

“Sean has demonstrated strong leadership throughout his time with the fire department and brings valuable operational experience to this role,” said Lambton Shores Mayor Doug Cook. “Council and I are confident that he will provide steady leadership for the department and continue building on the strong foundation currently in place as we grow as a municipality.”

Smith officially steps into the role on May 23, 2026.

“I’m honoured to step into the role of Fire Chief and continue serving my community with the dedicated members of Lambton Shores Fire and Emergency Services,” said Fire Chief Sean Smith. “It has been a privilege to work under Chief Marshall’s leadership and contribute to the progress our department has made in recent years and to witness firsthand the dedication our firefighters bring to serving this community.”

“I am excited to build on that progress and about the future of Lambton Shores Fire and Emergency Services. I look forward to working collaboratively with our members, municipal staff, council, and the community to ensure we continue delivering professional, reliable and effective emergency services for years to come.”

The Municipality would like to recognize and thank former Fire Chief James Marshall for his contributions and leadership during his time with Lambton Shores.

During his tenure, Marshall was a valued member of the leadership team and helped shape and strengthen the fire service. Through a focus on community risk reduction initiatives and long-term capital planning, his leadership helped position the fire department to meet both the current and future needs of our community.

“We are grateful for James’ dedication and leadership during his time with the Municipality,” continued Mayor Cook. “His contributions have been transformative within the fire service and have established a strong foundation for continued success in the years ahead. On behalf of council and the community, we thank him and wish him continued success in this next opportunity.”