THUNDER BAY - Before officially welcoming the newest members to the service, Thunder Bay Fire Rescue chief, John Hay, first thanked the family members of the recruits and then apologized to them.
“The apology is for the missed birthdays, the missed holidays, school events, Christmas, New Years, all those things that are missed because of shift work,” he said.
Despite those soon to be missed days, there was nothing but pride from the family members at a graduation ceremony held on Saturday to welcome seven new recruits to Thunder Bay Fire Rescue.
Kari Rikkonen, this year’s class valedictorian, said he was honoured to speak on behalf of his fellow recruits and he said there could not have been a better group of firefighters of which to endure the 14-week training program at the Thunder Bay Fire Rescue Training Centre.
“It takes a lot of work, a lot of passion and a lot of hours in order to get on with the fire department,” he said. “It takes years of certifications and practice to get on and once you get on, that’s not when the work stops either.”
“Now that we are moving onto the trucks, there is a big learning curve going forward. We got the training and textbook portion of it, and now it’s about applying it to the real world. There is a lot to learn there so you have to be up to the challenge.”
Rikkonen believes he and his fellow recruits are up to the challenge. He added that he has wanted to be a firefighter for many years and for a number of different reasons.
“The number one reason I wanted to be a firefighter is to help people of our community and to give back to a community that has provided me so much,” he said. “And accepting the dynamic challenges that come with the job.”
What sets Thunder Bay Fire Rescue apart from most fire departments across Canada is fire crews are tasked with responding to a number of different emergencies.
“We are a small city and we have so many things to respond to as far as high-angle rescue on a mountain to water rescues on Lake Superior, so the training allowed us to open up our mind to the different calls we would be responding to,” Rikkonen said.
Several long-serving members of the fire service were also recognized during the ceremony on Saturday. Johnny Doughty, who retired last February, received his Long-Term Service Award for 30 years and he said from the time he started with the service to now seeing the new recruits welcomed, a lot has changed in firefighting.
“When I started on the fire service, there wasn’t any training,” he said. “The training now gives them a great opportunity and a great start to be a great firefighter. Looking at them and looking at the training and the ability that they have, they are going to be top notched firefighters.”
And even though it was difficult for the new recruits to contain their excitement and Rikkonen said it might take a moment for the brain to adjust after hearing that first alarm go off on the job, there was no denying that the job can be dangerous, stressful, and have negative impacts on any individual, no matter how much training.
“Because of our affiliation with the police and the paramedics, we do see a lot of things that I didn’t at the beginning of my career,” Doughty said. “They are going to see some things that are going to disturb them. We have everything in place to make sure they are looked after. And to take advantage of it, talk to each other, stay connected with each other, and don’t internalize anything you’ve seen that would bother you.”
And that is why Hay thanked the families of the new recruits, because not only do they have to be understanding when a firefighter is missing that birthday or holiday because they are out on the job, family also has to be there for them when they return home at the end of what could be a harrowing shift.
“That part is incredible,” Hay said. “We’ve recognized that even though there is a great family in Thunder Bay Fire Rescue and a great family at each hall, the support of their families in some of the things they are required to do and see and have to deal with is huge. I can’t emphasize enough that their family is part of our family.”
