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Letter: The Ponoka Fire Department sends its farewell

A letter from members of the former Ponoka Fire Department was received thanking residents
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Dear Editor,

To the residents of Ponoka and area.

The past members of the Ponoka Fire Department and Ponoka Fire Brigade would like to thank you, the community for all the support you have given to the fire department.

The Ponoka Fire Department has stood proud to answer the call for help from our residents from Ponoka and with the decision in dissolving the 112 year old department came emotions between members, town management and council.

Although our engines and pagers have been silenced and our doors shut we were proud to serve you and your family. We saw you when you had troubles and had the pleasure to see you when you were at your best.

The times have been stressful, devastating, and most of all life altering for all of the members. Whenever you belong to such a great group of men and women there is a sense of ownership and with this it was at times difficult to keep personal feelings away from the business decision that town management made.

Life will go on, people will respond to whatever emergency arises but the memories, friendships and careers that have come out of the past members of the Ponoka Fire Department will never dissolve.

Please stay safe.

What is a Firefighter?

They are the person next door - a person with the memory of a little child who has never gotten over the excitement of engines and sirens and danger.

They are like you and me with wants and worries and unfulfilled dreams.

Yet they stands taller than most of us.

They are a firefighter.

They put it all on the line when the bell rings.

A firefighter is at once the most fortunate and the least fortunate of people.

They are people who save lives because they have seen too much death.

They are gentle humans because they have seen the awesome power of violence out of control.

They are responsive to a child’s laughter because their arms have held too many small bodies that will never laugh again.

They are a person who appreciates the simple pleasures of life - hot coffee held in numb, unbending fingers - a warm bed for bone and muscle compelled beyond feeling - the camaraderie of brothers & sisters - the divine peace and selfless service of a job well done in the name of all people.

They don’t wear buttons or wave flags or shout obscenities.

When they march, it is to honor a fallen comrade.

They don’t preach the brotherhood of man.

They live it!

From the former members of the Ponoka Fire Department