Fire Chief Terry Dixon is proud of “the guys” of Thorold Fire and Emergency Services.
“It doesn't matter what district that you're in, our fire service now runs as one unit. It doesn't matter whether you're in district 1, 4, 2, we're Thorold Fire. We've really come together as a unit,” he said at a ceremony on Nov. 13, honouring 13 firefighters including himself, for their service with the department.
“Everybody seems to work so well together, and it's nice to see,” he said.
The ceremony took place at the fire department’s newest facility, Station 1 on McCleary Drive.
Dixon said that recognition is important to the firefighters, many of whom have been with the department for at least 20 years.
Firefighters, including himself, choose it as a career because they want to help people.
“I started before as a volunteer firefighter, and I did it,” he said. “I didn't do it for the money. I did it because that's what I want to do for my community.”
Those who take the path to become a firefighter wind up in a brotherhood, or even more accurate, a family of sorts.
“It's camaraderie at that station,” Dixon said. “It's usually people that live in your area, so you know everybody. It’s that whole process which starts, and they can make a good career."
Still, Dixon downplayed his own 40 years of service to the department.
“I usually don't like to acknowledge that,” he said with a hint of a chuckle. “It’s just that's what I do, and I've always been proud to be a Thorold firefighter.”
Firefighters, he said, face plenty of risks, everything from traffic getting to the station in the case of volunteers, to disease exposure at medical calls, to toxic smoke on fire calls.
“The toxins right now in fires are absolutely astronomical,” Dixon said. “Fires burn hotter and faster today.”
Electric vehicle fires, he added, present a new challenge that he expects will become more prominent as more electric vehicles hit the road.
“If you look go on YouTube and you look up motor vehicle fires right now, with electric vehicles, you'll see cars exploding and firefighters are rushing to the scene to put this fire out,” said Dixon. "We don't even know what we're going up to. We think it's a vehicle fire. Well, there's more to it now.”
Chief Administrative Office Manoj Dilwaria praised firefighters for their dedication to service.
“I think the bottom line is, the people who are serving the community, they are not in it for the money. It is a passion, a dedication, to serve the community. I think that shows as well,” he said.
And the City is doing what it can to make sure firefighters have everything they need to take care of themselves, both physically and mentally.
“We can provide them the resources, the training, but what they see on an everyday basis, it has an impact on the mental health as well,” Dilwaria said. “So, they have access to counselling services, they have access to various specialists.”
During the ceremony, Mayor Terry Ugulini thanked the firefighters being honoured, as well as all members of the department.
“Your commitment and dedication to serving our community does not go unnoticed and it is appreciated,” he said.
He said the department is charting a course forward in tandem with the City. The new Fire Station 1, which went into service in August, is an example of that.
“I really believe we're on the right direction. We've done a lot, and we've moved the fire services forward. We're committed to continuing to do that, as well as move the whole city of Thorold forward, and you're a big part of that.”
In addition to Dixon, honourees included:
Glenn Bronn (40 years), John DiLella (25 years), Pawel Starski (25 years), Joe Veltman (25 years), Kyle Berketo (20 years), Carl Pearson (20 years) and Adam Schell (20 years).
Several firefighters were unable to attend the ceremony to receive their honours, including Larry Egerter (30 years), Kurt Wilkinson (30 years), Jeramy Egerter (25 years), Mathew Hancock (25 years) and Vince Giovannini (20 years).
