Copyright 2006 Toronto Star Newspapers, Ltd.
All Rights Reserved
By Guelph Mercury (Ontario, Canada)
Doug Smith made a conscious decision to help people in 1969. It was a commitment — whether he knew it or not — that would last until this past weekend, at his official retirement party honouring his service to the Puslinch volunteer fire department.
Across Canada, more than 125,000 volunteer firefighters man over 3,500 departments, in small towns where municipalities cannot afford a full-time paid force or demand is not there for such a measure. In the United States, 73 per cent of firefighters are volunteers, representing 21,671 departments which are entirely volunteer operations. These people are the ones who keep millions safe, sometimes risking their own lives, and ask for nothing in return.
When Smith first signed up for service with Puslinch’s volunteer department in 1969, he told his wife he was doing so because he wanted to get involved in the community. This weekend, he said “Looking back I underestimated our involvement.” Puslinch is not the only local department staffed by volunteers; Centre Wellington, Erin and other county fire halls work on the same premise. The Puslinch department has 39 volunteers in its ranks. Dozens more work around the county, and around the clock, to ensure the safety of residents.
Fighting fires is no easy task. It takes hours of training, and a commitment to put one’s own life on the line to save that of someone else, with little to no compensation. Firefighters are a breed unto themselves. Volunteer firefighters even more so.
Doug Smith has stayed in this profession because of his compassion and his commitment to his long-time neighbours, as well as new strangers, in the Puslinch community. We wish him all the best in his retirement and thank him for his commitment.