Applaud the unsung among us

There are unsung heroes in every town and community across Canada, but nowhere are they as prominent and paradoxically as anonymous as in Windsor and area.

We refer today to the men and women who comprise fire departments both in town and throughout the region. These dedicated volunteers commit their minds and bodies regularly to battle blazes that are at times monstrous and deadly, and we commend them for their bravery and skill.

The fire that consumed the Windsor Curling Club last week is a perfect case in point. Windsor has seen its share of conflagrations, to be sure, but few have been as devastating as that which leveled the 99-year-old building rich in local and provincial history and tradition. Indeed, the curling club was as much a community focal point as it was a recreational facility, and the town has lost a great deal in its destruction.

The fire started fast and moved quickly to the curling club, but immediate and determined response from the Windsor department and mutual aid fire crews from as far away as Kentville ensured containment and public safety.

Ninety-five men and women battled this blaze with no concern whatsoever for their personal circumstance. And when it was over, they returned to their homes, families and friends and resumed the routine of their daily lives as if it were just another day at the office.

However, we see it differently. The contribution volunteer firefighters make to our communities is enormous; nothing they confront comes anywhere near what most civilians would consider ‘a day at the office’.

The very nature of what they do when the call comes involves risk and daring, a calculated and professional response that goes above and beyond the call of duty, especially when you realize just how dangerous, toxic and incendiary a fire scene can be.

Yet these heroes walk among us without fanfare. Most prefer to serve the community through understatement and allow their actions to speak louder than words.

We appreciate the equanimity, but would be remiss if we did not laud their efforts and acknowledge the value of all they do.

Thank you for your selflessness and caring; for being there, night and day, in the most extreme conditions; and for offering to us peace of mind, and the security of knowing should a fire break out that we have the best of the best poised and ready.