‘Last alarm’ sounded for firefighter
People lined the roads from the Super Eight Motel to Royal LePage Place in West Kelowna on Tuesday afternoon to pay their respects to firefighter Capt. Troy Russell during his funeral procession.
Two ladder trucks were placed at the entrance to the Royal LePage parking lot with their ladders raised in an arch, under which passed the procession made up of family members, fire service personnel from as far away as Burnaby, emergency personnel and vehicles.
“We all miss Troy,” said West Kelowna fire Chief Jason Brolund. “Today was a chance for us to come together and plan an event to honour him, and also a chance for us to say goodbye in a very formal way.”
Russell, a 20-year veteran with West Kelowna Fire Rescue, was diagnosed in September 2017 with brain cancer contracted through his work as a firefighter. He died Sept. 25 at the age of 53.
Nipsy’s Rig, a fire truck draped in black with Russell’s coat on the front, carried his flag-draped casket. Russell was nicknamed Nipsy, after comedian Nipsy Russell.
The floor of Royal LePage Place was filled with firefighters and other emergency service members for the funeral, which was steeped in tradition, including the ringing of the bell. Traditionally, the bell sounded as a firefighter began a tour of duty, and signalled the beginning of the day shift and alarms.
“Today, we utilize these traditions as symbols which reflect honour and respect of those that have given so much and would serve so well,” said chaplain Don Richmond.
A signal of three rings, three times each, represented the end of Russell’s duties and that he would be returned home.
“And so Capt. Russell, who has selflessly given his life for the good of his fellow man, his tasks are now completed, his duties are well done,” said Richmond.
“To Capt. Troy Russell, this is the last alarm. You're going home.”
After the funeral, Brolund said there is a higher incidence of firefighters being diagnosed with certain cancers.
“When you’ve been a firefighter and you’ve served for 10 years, you’re presumed to have contracted it through your work as a firefighter,” he said.
This was the first death in the line of duty for West Kelowna Fire Rescue.
“I think it’s caused all of the firefighters to examine the work that they do,” said Brolund. “Of course, none of us would want to do anything else, but we continue to look for safer ways to do our jobs.”
Brolund noted firefighting 50 years ago was tremendously different than it is today, with the chemicals, the smoke and the toxins firefighters to which firefighters are exposed.
“The things that burn in the fires we fight today are far worse than they were even 20 years ago, such as plastics,” said Brolund. “Take a couch for example. It’s made of foam and gasoline, and when it burns we breathe that. Fifty years ago, the same thing would be cotton fibre.”