Chief of Calgary's emergency management agency to step down

Tom Sampson, chief of Calgary's Emergency Management Agency, is stepping down.

Sampson announced his retirement in a press conference Wednesday, saying he had planned to retire earlier in the year but felt it would be wrong to leave CEMA during a pandemic.

"With mixed emotions, I am going to retire after 35 years of a career that has spanned all kinds of things — EMS, the Calgary Fire Department and, of course, CEMA," said an emotional Sampson. "Two great loves in my life: the first is my family, and also serving this community."  

During his 35 years with the city,  Sampson has also worked for the fire department and as head of EMS.

"I don't think that you can have the commitment and passion to this job without feeling it when you decide to walk away," he said. "Retiring during the pandemic, tough decision."

Sampson became a familiar face to Calgarians during the 2013 floods, when he headed up the disaster response. He says he is most proud of the city's response to that challenge.

Now, he has been faced with the COVID-19 crisis.

"My original intent was to get us out of the state of local emergency, and to say 'OK, we're done.' And so I stayed on what was originally to be four months, and then extended it that fifth month — and that fifth month now is about recruiting my replacement, and making sure that person is well oriented to the job, so we don't skip a beat," Sampson said.

His point, he said, is to see a smooth transition.

Sampson will stay on as chief until a replacement is named, and said he is confident the city has many qualified candidates ready to step up.

"I apologize that I'm emotional about this, I just don't think you can be dispassionate in these jobs," he said. "But after 35 years, it's time, and there's smarter and brighter people behind me to lead, and I will always have my eye on Calgary and what we're doing and how we're doing it."

"I've often said emergency management is like walking up a down escalator. You have to move fairly quickly if you want to be effective, and if you ever stop, you'll go backwards."

Sampson took a moment to thank the media, and also to compliment Mayor Naheed Nenshi for his leadership during the floods of 2013 and during COVID-19 pandemic.

'You know what, I'm a real fan of the mayor. I saw the mayor step up during the flood, and then I didn't get to deal with him too much for a little while, then I saw him step in in COVID," he said. "He's fully in."

The search for a new chief will begin immediately.