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Melissa Barr

Genia Leskiw, MLA for Bonnyville -- Cold Lake, presents LaCorey Station fire chief Al Donald with an Alberta Emergency Services medal at the awards ceremony held this past Saturday, Jan. 21.

BRFA members honoured for service

Jan 24, 2012 06:45 pm | By Melissa Barr | Bonnyville Nouvelle

Twenty-three members of the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority (BRFA), many of them volunteer firefighters, were honoured with medals for their years of service in Bonnyville and the surrounding communities this past Saturday.

BRFA chief Brian McEvoy explained the Fire Services Exemplary Medal was introduced in 1985 as a way of honouring members of the fire services who have provided at least twenty years of exemplary service to the citizens of Canada. The medal is presented on behalf of the queen.

McEvoy and John Woytkiw of Glendon received Fire Services Exemplary Medals for 30 years of service and Dan Proctor of Bonnyville received it for 20.

The second medal presented at the ceremony was the Alberta Emergency Management Service Medal, which McEvoy explained all emergency management people in the province of Alberta, including firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers, disaster services workers and forestry firefighters, are eligible for.

“It was established seven years ago by the government of Alberta to recognize all these people that give freely of their time, whether as volunteers or paid in the service,” he said. “It is particularly important to us in this area because the majority of our service comes from volunteers.”

Twenty firefighters, lieutenants, captains, fire chiefs, and deputy fire chiefs from the BRFA received Alberta Emergency Services medals for 12 years of service.

Bonnyville Mayor Ernie Isley, Glendon Mayor Larry Lofstrand, MD of Bonnyville Reeve Ed Rondeau, and MLA for Bonnyville – Cold Lake Genia Leskiw attended the ceremony, held at the St. Louis Parrish Hall, and presented the 23 firefighters with medals to commemorate their years of service.

Lofstrand thanked the firefighters for their services and said, “It’s a really good feeling to have the support that we have.”

Leskiw thanked them as well and said, “Not only do we appreciate you, we also appreciate your spouses and your families for sharing you with us. Without you, our community wouldn’t be as safe as it is.”

“You know,” said Isley. “If you weren’t such damned good volunteers, we couldn’t afford the protection you provide. Thank you very much.”