WE ALL OWE FIREFIGHTERS

As firefighters battled the Kenow wildfire in southern Alberta earlier this week, the Calgary Fire Department demonstrated just how dangerous the occupation is. The department paused to remember its fallen brethren at City Hall on Tuesday, honouring 45 members who lost their lives in service to Calgarians. Nine died on duty, the last being Morley James, who perished while fighting a three-alarm blaze at the old Forest Lawn Hotel in 1992. The remaining 36 deaths are linked to cancer — evidence of the risks to which these first responders expose themselves.

Fire Chief Steve Dongworth said at Tuesday’s ceremony that he was thinking of those on the front lines of Alberta’s devastating wildfires.

“Our thoughts are very much with them — they never know what their next call might bring,” he said. “Being a firefighter is a very difficult occupation, but it’s also a very rewarding one. Sometimes, it’s an occupation that asks for the ultimate sacrifice.”

Mayor Naheed Nenshi, who was also in attendance, expressed similar sentiments.

“Certainly, firefighters are special in many ways,” said the mayor. “They run towards danger the rest of us run from. And for some, they make the ultimate sacrifice.”

Firefighters deserve our respect and praise for the difficult work they perform. Their toil is obvious when they quickly arrive to extinguish a house fire, sometimes saving lives, but always controlling the damage.

Less apparent are the efforts of those fighting fires in the forest, like the workers who are still battling the Kenow wildfire, which imperilled the Waterton Lakes townsite earlier this week. But for the efforts of firefighters, the picturesque lakeside community would have been devastated. Sixty firefighters from six southern Alberta fire departments worked overnight to protect the townsite.

Firefighters from Calgary and Taber had the task of protecting the venerable Prince of Wales Hotel, whose wood-framed structure made it especially vulnerable.

Dongworth said firefighters,, who worked in excess of 24 hours, snuffed out flying embers, some the size of baseballs.

“We had a solid plan in place and we told them, ‘Although the structures are valuable, none of them are more valuable than the lives of any of our people,’ ” said the Calgary fire chief. Dongworth is right, of course. Firefighters provide an invaluable public service. This week’s heroics in southern Alberta, and Tuesday’s touching tribute to fallen Calgary firefighters, remind us of the debt that is owed them.