Cold Lake firefighters and emergency response get provincial honours

Some of the city’s longest-serving community members were recognized at their regular council meeting last week.

Council chambers played host to the presentations of the Alberta Emergency Services Medal (AESM) and Bar for 22 years and 32 years of service to Albertans.

One member from Cold Lake Ambulance and nine members from Cold Lake Fire-Rescue were recognized.

Here is the list of recipients.

Cold Lake Ambulance

• Meloney Cross (AESM & Service Bar 22 years).

Cold Lake Fire Rescue as follows:

• Captain Dave Fitch (Service Bar 22 years & 32 years)-Bronze and Silver rosette -37 years of service -All Cold Lake
• Assistant Chief Doug Sirant (Service Bar 22 years & 32 years) – Bronze and Silver rosette -33 years of service -Barrhead/Cold Lake
• Deputy Chief Kelly Sweeney (Service Bar 22 years) -Bronze rosette -31 years of service -All Cold Lake
• Fire Chief Jeff Fallow (Service Bar 22 years)-Bronze rosette – 30 years of service -All Cold Lake
• Firefighter Brent Stasuik (Service Bar 22 years) -Bronze rosette – 30 years of service -Glendon/Cold Lake
• Deputy Chief Norm Hollis (Service Bar 22 years) -Bronze rosette -29 years of service -Military/Cold Lake
• Deputy Chief Hugh McKay (Service Bar 22 years)-Bronze rosette -27 years of service -All Cold Lake
• Captain Jason Spears (Service Bar 22 years)-Bronze rosette -26 years of service -All Cold Lake
• Lieutenant Mel Griffith (Service Bar 22 years) -Bronze rosette – 26 years of service -All Cold Lake
• The nine members listed above from Cold Lake Fire-Rescue (CLFR) have given 269 years of service to Albertans and  256 of those years to the City of Cold Lake and surrounding area.

“The amount of years in service that we recognized at the Fire Department is incredible,” said Mayor Craig Copeland.

“It’s turned into a tough organization to get in as a volunteer. They have a waiting list to get on the fire department – it’s incredible.

“It just speaks that people want to join Cold Lake Fire Service so we have a good following. That was part of the reason we invested in a really nice building,” he said.