Fallen Firefighters to be honored on Parliament Hill

OTTAWA, July 21, 2008 – Sixteen Canadian firefighters who were killed on duty or lost their lives as a result of job related illnesses will be honored September 14th, 2008, as part of the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s 5th Annual Memorial Ceremony.

The firefighters from across the country will be honored in the ceremony beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Parliament Hill. Their families and members of the Canadian Fire Service will be in attendance. This year among those being honored will be three wildland firefighters who died protecting communities from the ravages of forest fires and two Winnipeg firefighters who died in a flashover house fire.

This year’s honorary host is the Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services, under the command of Fire Chief Ray Holdgate. A large contingent of Vancouver firefighters including their band will make the cross country trip to Ottawa to remember the fallen alongside firefighters from all parts of Canada.

The ceremony will pay tribute to the 933 Canadian firefighters who have lost their lives serving Canada since organized fire services began in the 1820s. Special presentations will be made to the families of those firefighters who were actively employed at their time of death.

This year’s presentation list includes: Gary Wilson from Toronto, ON; Harold Lessard from Winnipeg, MB; Thomas Nichols from Winnipeg, MB.; Clarke Stevens from  Edmonton, ALTA; Charles Stroud from Niagara Falls, ON; William Salmond from Northbrook, ON; Patrick Watters-Michaud from Quebec City, PQ; Paul Donahoe from Stouffville, ON; Gordon Paul from Calgary, ALTA.; Wayne Topping from Burlington, ON; John Chappelle from Toronto, ON; Willie Patchinose from Grand Rapids, MB; Robert Hall from North Vancouver, BC; Richard Mann from Toronto, ON; Ron Dysart from Nelson House, MB; and Michael Kaatz from Burlington, ON.

The Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation is meant to serve all firefighters and their families in time of need. The Foundation is all-inclusive. Thus, volunteer, paid, industrial, military, urban, rural, wildland, Aboriginal, airport and marine firefighters are all included. Its volunteer directors come from all parts of the Canadian Fire Service.

The Foundation is currently fundraising to build the Canadian Firefighters Memorial as well as operating the annual memorial service, providing financial assistance to those families being honored at the ceremony and developing scholarships for those families.

“Firefighters have been killed serving the citizens of Canada since 1848 and, although other countries have memorials to Canadian firefighters, our own country still does not,” said Foundation President Robert Kirkpatrick. “The Foundation is committed to making sure this is corrected so they are not forgotten…it’s long overdue. The annual memorial service honoring recent deaths is just the first step.”

The public is welcome to attend the ceremony and support the fallen, as well as donate to the construction of a national monument.

For more information, please visit the Foundation website at WWW.CFFF.CA

Media contact:

Rose Simpson
Media Relations
Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation
Email: simpson3205@rogers.com
Telephone: 613-737-6608   Cell: 613-601-6608

Media Backgrounder

The Fallen

The Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation this year will honor the following firefighters.

Full-time Firefighters

Captain Gary Allen Wilson, 48
Fire Service: Toronto Fire Services
Date of Death: March 16, 2007
Cause of Death: Work-related illness

Captain Harold A. Lessard, 55
Fire Service: Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service
Date of Death: February 4, 2007
Cause of Death: Died in a flashover house fire

Captain Thomas William Nichols, 56
Fire Service: Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service
Date of Death: February 4, 2007
Cause of Death: Died in a flashover house fire

Firefighter Clarke Stevens, 48
Fire Service: Edmonton Fire Rescue Services
Date of Death: August 19, 2006
Cause of Death: Work-related illness

Firefighter Charles Stroud, 55
Fire Service: Niagara Falls Fire Services
Date of Death: May 2, 2007
Cause of Death: Work-related illness

Captain Paul Donahoe, 51
Fire Service: Markham Fire & Emergency Services
Date of Death: October 10, 2007
Cause of Death: Work-related illness

Firefighter Gordon Paul, 54
Fire Service: Calgary Fire Department
Date of Death: August 7, 2007
Cause of Death: Work-related illness

Firefighter Wayne Topping, 48
Fire Service: Burlington Fire Department
Date of Death: August 24, 2007
Cause of Death: Died while representing Burlington in the International Extrication Challenge in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Captain John Chappelle, 53
Fire Service: Toronto Fire Services
Date of Death: September 5, 2007
Cause of Death: Work-related illness

Lieutenant Robert Eric Hall, 51
Fire Service: Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services
Date of Death: August 27, 2007
Cause of Death: Work-related illness

Firefighter Michael Kaatz, 47
Fire Service: Burlington Fire Department
Date of Death: April 25, 2007
Cause of Death: Work-related illness

Firefighter Richard Mann, 39
Fire Service: Toronto Fire Services
Date of Death: April 1, 2004
Cause of Death: Work-related illness

Volunteer Firefighters

Deputy Chief William Salmond, 65
Fire Service: Addington Highlands Fire Department
Date of Death: August 5, 2007
Cause of Death: Vehicle accident responding to a fire

Wildland Firefighters

Helitack Firefighter Patrick Watters-Michaud, 22
Fire Service: Alberta Sustainable Resource Development: Fort McMurray Alberta
Date of Death: July 22, 2007
Cause of Death: Helicopter crash near fire area in Alberta.

 
Firefighter Willie Patchinose, 46
Location: Manitoba Conservation: Grand Rapids, Manitoba
Date of Death: May 4, 2007
Cause of Death: Died on duty.

Firefighter Ron Dysart, 60
Location: Manitoba Conservation. Nelson House, Manitoba
Date of Death: June 6, 2007
Cause of Death: Died at fire.

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