Two firefighters were recognized for longtime service to the Thorne Fire Department at the firefighters’ ball held on Saturday night at the TCRA Hall in Ladysmith.
The event, the first of its kind held since the return of the department last summer, drew a large crowd of firefighters and their families, as well as firefighters from neighbouring departments.
In May 2025, Thorne council voted to end its previous fire services agreement with Otter Lake, thus also ending the joined Pontiac North Fire Department that had been in place since 2021. Since then, Thorne has been trying to rebuild its own fire department, starting with five members.
“They wanted to put on a firemen’s ball,” chief Lee Laframboise said of the Thorne firefighters, adding that they waited until they could get their numbers up before hosting the event.
At the event, two firefighters were recognized for their longtime service to the Thorne Fire Department – Steven Dubeau (22 years) and Brent Krose (52 years). Both men received Governor General’s medals for exemplary service.
Laframboise said both members should be commended for their service and dedication to the department. He said Krose has served as the deputy chief and secretary-treasurer of the department for as far back as he can remember.
“I’ve been on the Shawville department for 36 years, and he’s always been the deputy chief,” he said. “He drives the trucks, he fixes the trucks, he’s a jack of all trades when stuff needs to be fixed.”
Laframboise said a firefighter serving 52 years is an impressive feat that not many people can do, adding that he had a hard time sourcing pins for that duration of service.
“We should appreciate that, for sure. And 50-something years, that’s insane.”
Krose said he joined in 1972 when the department was recruiting. He soon became deputy chief since there weren’t many other qualified people to take the job. He said that has been the story of his tenure, as the secretary-treasurer job was also tough to find volunteers for.
When asked why he keeps showing up and doing this work, Krose offered a simple answer:
“Sometimes I’m the only one around here. Someone’s got to do it,” he said.
Since starting with a small contingent of five firefighters last summer, the department is currently sitting at 12 firefighters. Laframboise said many among them are studying hard to complete their Firefighter 1 training, adding that he has received an application from someone who could start in the fall.
While the department did not have a final tally of the money raised at Saturday’s ball, Laframboise said the money could go toward additional equipment for bush firefighting. While this season has been relatively calm when it comes to bush fires, he told THE EQUITY this spring that he is seeing more bush fires every year.
“We bought a smaller pump this year, and we had a practice with it, and we might even buy another one. There’s other stuff you can get like firefighting coveralls, and there’s different tools you can get for bush fires.”
