I happened to meet LeBlanc at a Red Cross fundraiser a while back and had the opportunity to chat with him. He actually mentioned that the old strategy of responding to fires was to roll everything you've got at them, and how he was changing that or continuing to evolve the department into a model where they send a couple smaller units to the scene and as they get closer and get additional calls in, they roll more and more based on a gradually improving picture of what's happening on the ground. So as the small units get closer and the smoke is still black, and more calls are coming in from people freaking out, the more likely that they're dealing with something serious so roll more trucks. 
Coupled with hearing him talk about this response strategy and the above article on management discipline, I think the city is lucky to have him in that position. Seems like he's doing great work and asking the right questions.