Story perspectives

Waterloo appoints Sandy van Solm as first female fire chief

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 2:51 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Sandy van Solm was appointed fire chief of Waterloo, becoming the city’s first female chief.
The appointment followed the retirement of longtime chief Richard Hepditch after 31 years of service.
Van Solm, deputy chief since 2020, holds a PhD and over 25 years of public-safety experience.
She created a Vulnerable Person at Risk algorithm and drafted a bylaw requiring fire-safety boxes, helpers, and false-alarm fines.

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Story summary

Sandy van Solm was appointed fire chief of Waterloo, becoming the city’s first female chief.
The appointment followed the retirement of longtime chief Richard Hepditch after 31 years of service.
Van Solm, deputy chief since 2020, holds a PhD and over 25 years of public-safety experience.
She created a Vulnerable Person at Risk algorithm and drafted a bylaw requiring fire-safety boxes, helpers, and false-alarm fines.