Gord Bentley

FIRE CHIEF GORDON BENTLEY

Mississauga Fire Department

Fire Chief Gordon Bentley died from lung cancer on July 28, 2023.  He joined the fire service in 1951.

Gordon officially joined the Streetsville Fire Department in 1951, but unofficially started following his volunteer firefighter father to fires in 1946.  He became Deputy Chief of the Streetsville Fire Department in 1961.  Upon the town’s amalgamation into the City of Mississauga in 1974, he joined the Mississauga Fire Department as a Captain, followed by Training Officer and then Director of Training.  Gordon was the Chief of the Mississauga Fire Department between 1979-1992, including during the famous Mississauga Train Derailment in 1979.  He was instrumental in establishing the current protocols for the transportation of dangerous goods and spoke globally on the subject.  He was a long-standing Director of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs including its presidency during 1990/1991.  He served as the Canadian director of the International Association of Fire Chiefs for many years and was also active in the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs.

In addition to fire fighting, Gordon had a long career in the trades, holding multiple licenses in electrical, plumbing, gas fitting and HVAC.  He also ran several small businesses including Bentley Hardware in Streetsville.  He was active in the community and in his church.  Gordon was always ready to help the community, his neighbours, his friends and his family in any way his extensive knowledge and skills would be useful. 

As breathing apparatus was not available in his early firefighting years, Gordon developed lung cancer and succumbed to the disease in 2023.  Gordon is mourned by his wife of almost 72 years, by his daughter and by his grandchildren.