Shag Harbour/Bear Point firemen recognized for 25 years service

BY CARLA ALLEN

The Coast Guard

NovaNewsNow.com

Two members of the Shag Harbour/Bear Point Fire Department were among 13 firefighters that received recognition from the Office of the Fire Marshal for 25 years service.

Edward Nickerson and Ricky Banks were awarded the Fire Services Long Service Medal on Oct. 5 at a special ceremony in Truro.

Mark Parent, Minister of Environment and Labour, presented the awards.

"Firefighters deserve the support and recognition of all of us because of their valuable contributions to Nova Scotian communities," he said.

"I am pleased that all exemplary service medals given out in the past and in the future will now receive provincial recognition. Our firefighters deserve it."

Since 1980, the Office of the Fire Marshal has given out more than 2,500 long-service medals to volunteer and paid firefighters in Nova Scotia.

Banks, who is fire chief for the Shag Harbour/Bear Point department, joined when he was 16.

“I was rarin’ to go to fight fires,” he laughed.

Nickerson volunteered with a Cape Sable Island department prior to joining the Shag Harbour/Bear Point unit. He says the department has done very well with regard to volunteers. At least half of the 34 members are below the age of 30.