Ontario's fallen firefighters honoured at in-person memorial service for first time in two years
Ontario’s fallen firefighters from the last two years were honoured during a memorial service in downtown Toronto Sunday afternoon.
The ceremony started at 1 p.m. at the Ontario Fire Fighters Memorial on College Street, just south of Queen’s Park.
Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Premier Doug Ford, Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, President of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) Rob Grimwood, Director of Firefighters’ Association of Ontario (FFAO) Jamie Hiller, President of the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association (OPFFA) Greg Horton, were among those who spoke at the memorial service and laid wreaths.
“I’m very, very thankful that we can all gather today to remember the brave women and men who gave their lives protecting us,” Ford said. “They’re all heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of duty and service to their community, and while they’re no longer with us, their honour and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
“Let me thank you all from the bottom of my heart. We’re forever grateful for your service,” he said.
Ontario Fire Marshal Jon Pegg also spoke at the gathering, and said today’s memorial service pays tribute to all of Ontario’s firefighters who made the “ultimate sacrifice.”
“For the 36 names being added to the memorial this year, and the 98 names that we are also honouring today, we are forever indebted to their service,” he said. “Their loss is felt deeply by their families, their fire departments, and the entire community that they pledge to protect.”
The names of all the fallen firefighters were read aloud to reflect and honour the sacrifice they each made to their community. A bell rang after each name as part of the tradition that firefighters have to pay their respects, as well as at the end of the ceremony.
“When the fire was out and the alarm had come to an end, it was the bell that signalled to all the completion of that call,” the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association said. “When a firefighter dies in the line of duty, it is the toll of the bell that solemnly announces a comrade’s passing.”
The names of 36 fallen firefighters will be added to the Memorial Wall, in addition to the 98 names of those who were lost in 2020 and 2021. This is the first time in the last two years Ontario could pay tribute to its fallen firefighters in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
1 person killed and 23 injured in a bus crash in northern Maryland, police say
One person was killed and 23 others were injured when a bus crashed early Sunday on Interstate 95 in northern Maryland, police said.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Video shows gaggle of geese stopping traffic on Highway 1 near Vancouver
A mother goose and her goslings caused a bit of a traffic jam on a busy stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway near Vancouver Saturday.
Chemical spill could be cause of stinky water in Puslinch, Ont., new report says
People living in Puslinch, Ont. may have the answer to why their water smelled so bad last year.