Calgary,
14
September
2021
|
12:21
America/Denver

Four more firefighters added to list of fallen at annual memorial service

Calgary has lost 58 firefighters in the line of duty, nine during active firefighting and 49 due to illnesses related to firefighting. To honour our city’s fallen firefighters, Mayor Naheed Nenshi, members of City Council, the Calgary Fire Fighters Association (Local 255) and citizens joined the Calgary Fire Department and families of the fallen in remembering the Calgary firefighters who have given their lives in service to their community.

Sadly, the Calgary Fire Department Honour Guard displayed four more plaques on the three-story monument called Walls of Memory/Lantern of Light located at the Police Officers and Firefighters Tribute Plaza, including Harry W. Skakum, John C. Doherty, Roger K. Thompson, and Donald G. Taylor, all who died due to occupational cancers.

 We’ve been privileged to see many heroes this year and it is with honour that we remember those who are no longer with us. These firefighters’ bravery and service will live on in hearts of their families, colleagues and city,” said Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

“This year we add four names to the list of our fallen. However, each one is more than a name on a wall. They were people who loved and were loved, with nicknames and birthdays, who honourably served their fellow citizens and dedicated their careers to helping others,” said Chief Steve Dongworth. “We will make sure it is written in stone, forever, that they loved their community so much that they were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for it.”

The Calgary Fire Department has made many changes to the culture around health and safety, and continues to modify its practices, all of which support making today’s firefighters safer from risk and occupational disease. “We will honour those we have lost by continually exhausting all avenues to keep our members safer – in the equipment we provide, in the tactics that we employ, in the health monitoring we do, in the rigorous training we require,” he said.

In recognition of the memorial service, fire stations across The City of Calgary have lowered their flags to half-mast from sunrise to sunset.

For more information on the Calgary Fire Department and our fallen firefighters, please visit our website.

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