Six firefighters were honoured for their dedication to the Campbell’s Bay Litchfield Fire Department at its annual firemen’s ball on Saturday night.
Arran Jenkins was voted by peers as this year’s junior firefighter of the year, an award that goes to a member of the fire department who has served for less than 10 years, and five other firefighters were honoured for their longtime service.
Travis Corriveau was recognized for 10 years, Alain Dubeau for 30 years and Lincoln Smith, James Morin and Todd Vibert were each honoured for 40 years of service.
The Campbell’s Bay and Litchfield mayors presented the awards to the firefighters.
“I’d like to congratulate all the recipients tonight,” Raymond Pilon, mayor of Campbell’s Bay said Saturday.
“We’re very happy to have firefighters in our department.”
“To all the firefighters and others who are here this evening, you do an awesome job,” said Litchfield mayor Colleen Larivière before presenting the awards. “We’re very proud of our fire department.”
“Between the six people that got that recognition, that’s 160 years of firefighting,” said Kevin Kluke, chief of the fire department.
Jenkins, winner of the junior firefighter of the year award, said growing up he always wanted to be a firefighter, and was thrilled to be able to fulfill this dream as an adult.
Now 30, Jenkins said that it was an honour to be recognized by the other firefighters he works with.
“I really appreciate it, to be recognized for the work that I put in,” Jenkins said. “I try to go above any chance that I can as part of the committees and events that we have. And anytime we’re on call, I try to be involved as much as I can.”
Kluke said that he was deserving of the award.
“I was very glad for him,” Kluke said. “He’s very dedicated and devoted to the fire department. He never misses his training to continue his firefighter course so it was well deserved.”
Jenkins added that it was great to see the community come out to the event to support the fire department.
“I love being a part of the community and helping the community as well,” Jenkins said. “I’m pretty passionate about the kind of work we do.”
Kluke said that it was special to get to honour these important community members. He said that it takes a certain kind of person to be a firefighter for that many years.
“You don’t have to be crazy, but it really helps,” Kluke said.
Pilon also called attention to the municipality’s soon-to-be finalized plans for a new firehall for the department which he says will help keep the firefighters safe.
Pilon explained the firehall, now three years in the making, will offer decontamination showers, washers and dryers, bays for the firetrucks and a proper decontamination place for the self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA) used by firefighters.
“The department here, we have trucks in two different places,” Kluke said. “We don’t have proper decontamination showers and whatnot.”
Pilon said that the plans are 99 per cent done and is hoping construction will begin in the fall or spring with the intention of having the facility in operation by the end of 2026.
In continued efforts to fundraise for the fire department, another event is planned for June 14.
Campbell’s Bay councillor and firefighter Stéphanie Hébert Shea will be holding a trail run leaving from the Brauwerk Hoffman Brewery to raise funds for the fire department and the purchasing of necessary equipment.
Registration is on Eventbrite for a 5km, 10km and 1km kids’ race.
