Four Jasper firefighters were honoured June 3, with medals for their decades of service to the province and country.
At the Jasper Fire Brigade鈥檚 senior鈥檚 dinner Tuesday evening, Ron Stanko and Scott Sherlow both received the Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal, which is awarded by the federal government to firefighters who have served for 20 years.
Their colleagues, Ross Derksen and Gord Hutton, were awarded the Alberta Emergency Services Medal, which the provincial government gives to emergency services personnel who have served for 12 years.
The awards both recognize the individuals鈥� years of contributions to the community. But ask any of the winners, and they will tell they鈥檙e not in it for the accolades.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 do it for the recognition, so when it comes around we鈥檙e kind of surprised,鈥� said Hutton, a few days before receiving the award. In a separate interview, Stanko echoed that sentiment.
鈥淔or me it鈥檚 never been about the awards, or whatever else. It鈥檚 about getting the opportunity to help someone else in need鈥攖hat鈥榮 critical,鈥� he said.
But that doesn鈥檛 mean they don鈥檛 appreciate the awards鈥攖hey absolutely do鈥攂ut even a quick second taken to revel in the honours quickly passes. Just as the winners insist they don鈥檛 do it for the awards, they also won鈥檛 accept praise without passing most of it along to their brothers and sisters in yellow.
鈥淚t鈥檚 good to be recognized, but I also have to give credit to the big family that is the fire service,鈥� Sherlow said. 鈥淎n awful lot of volunteers don鈥檛 see this length of service because they either burn out or they can鈥檛 stand the politics鈥� this award, I would have to say, is a shared award with everybody that I鈥檝e been serving with for the last 20 years.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just me that鈥檚 getting up at 3 o鈥檆lock in the morning, there鈥檚 a whole bunch of other people that get woken up at the same time.鈥�
鈥淲e also have a pretty solid brigade, with a lot of support, so I think that also contributes to the longevity of the members,鈥� Hutton said. 鈥淭he camaraderie and the support that鈥檚 there within the organization is a notable aspect in the brigade.
鈥淲e do deal with unpleasant situations a lot of the time, but the support you get through the brigade takes you through that and makes you want to keep going.鈥�
Along with the unbreakable bond that comes from risking their lives together, Stanko said part of what makes him stick with the job is the opportunity to help people when they are at their most vulnerable. That doesn鈥檛 always mean battling blazes in a family鈥檚 home, he explains, even something as small as offering comfort to a car crash victim can be incredibly rewarding.
鈥淲hen you see you can make a difference in families lives just by offering a little help, a little kindness, a little courtesy and a little assistance it goes a long way. And when they say thanks that鈥檚 even the bigger award that I get,鈥� he said.
聽Trevor Nichols
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