Their Last Alarm: Honouring Ontario's Firefighters
Item#: 1894263618 Price: $21.15
ONTARIO'S FIREFIGHTING HEROES CELEBRATED
For the first time in history, the names and stories of Ontario firefighters who died in the line of duty have been assembled in a fitting memorial to their heroism and sacrifice.
Robert Kirkpatrick is a captain with Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services, a recipient of the Ontario Medal for Firefighters Bravery and the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal. He knows something of what he writes.
Kirkpatrick reports in his introduction: "In 1996 it came to my attention that there was no official historical list of firefighters who died while in the performance of their duties in Ontario. . . . As a firefighter with an interest in the history of firefighting I was compelled by the lack of recognition . . . This book is an attempt to remember not only their names, but also record their stories, some of which have been lost with the passage of time."
Toronto Fire Chief Al Speed's inspiring words at the 2001 memorial service at the city's Fallen Firefighter Memorial seemed to call for such a compendium as this: ". . . as we remember the fallen, let us remember that we honour firefighters who did not flinch and who did not despair when they ran into the flames and smoke searching for life and hope. . . . It would be amazing to stop and hear all the stories . . ."
Every day in Ontario, firefighters report for work prepared to risk their lives for their communities. Why they do it is not clear. Certainly they don't do it for financial gain. These are ordinary people with a strong sense of community spirit: no firefighter is thinking of getting killed when he or she answers an alarm. They are there to put the fire out, to save life and property. The daily risks are just part of the job.
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