Amidst a full crowd at the Civic Centre, Outlook’s firefighters both past and present were put in the spotlight and honored with a special appreciation banquet on Friday night, June 15.
There was concern in the days leading up to the event that it would suffer from a poor attendance with low ticket sales, but an apparent last-minute desire for tickets by a number of people ensured that the banquet had a full house.
To those who weren’t in attendance and perhaps were unaware of what was happening inside the venue that night, the large fire truck complete with extended ladder positioned outside the doors was perhaps the visual proof of what was happening inside the building.
Luckily, there were no emergency calls throughout the evening festivities – several people knocked on wood with that hope – and the guys on the crew were able to enjoy the night for what it was; a time to recognize the contributions and legacy of the past and remind people of where Outlook’s volunteer fire department stands right now as they look towards raising money for a new fire hall in order to better serve their needs and provide the services that they do.
Emcee Jean Harrington got the evening underway by welcoming Outlook mayor Ross Derdall, who shared his pride for the department and the lengths to which the current crew have gone to protect their community.
“Firefighters both past and present are integral to our community,” said Ross. “I have great pride in what they do, and they truly go above and beyond. I also want to thank the families, who are the ones waiting for you at home.”
RM of Rudy reeve Dennis Fuglerud also shared words of praise for Outlook’s firefighters.
“We’re very thankful for people like you who stand up, both past and present. Thank you for what you do,” he said.
Following a roast beef supper provided by Cheryl Arthur and crew, the current roster of Outlook’s fire department was officially piped in by 16-year old Caelan Kinnaird, leading the charge and playing the bagpipes as the men were welcomed with a standing ovation by those in attendance.
Emcee Harrington proceeded to acknowledge the entire department, including those who were unable to make it to the banquet, Richard Brenner, Joel Peru and Kevin Thompson. Afterward, the national award recipients of the evening were recognized, with Fire Chief Dalas King doing the honors of bestowing the awards for exemplary service to eight names, a mixture of former members of the department and some who still serve.
The award recipients were Calvin Clark, Hank Halseth, George King, Larry Baxter, Ross Derdall, Robert Larson, Bob Reid, and Lyndon Larson. As each man left the stage, the audience gave them another standing ovation, one that everyone in attendance unanimously agreed was very well deserved.
In his message to his crew, former members and those gathered for the banquet, Chief King thanked the men who came before them to answer the call and made special mention of the families who the men hope to go home to after every call they receive.
“They are our backbone; they’re there for us and we appreciate you,” said Dalas on families, before turning to the former members. “You guys are everything to what we are today; it’s an awesome achievement.”
In a video provided by Jocelyne Petryshyn, King went over the fire crew’s current hall and detailed how they operate today, highlighting the desire and need for a new fire hall in order to allow the crew to do their jobs more efficiently, as Dalas noted that “our efficiencies are what save lives.” The cramped conditions of the current hall and the need to store trucks and equipment in different parts of Outlook only added to the running issue of the department simply running out of room.
The current price tag of a new fire hall is approximately $1.3 million.
The special guest speaker of the evening was former Saskatoon city cop and current author Ernie Louttit, who was the city’s third First Nations officer on the force and who many came to know as ‘Indian Ernie’. Louttit spoke of his respect and admiration for firefighters, regaling the audience with stories of his interactions with them on the job and reminding them that they’re perhaps the most vital component of community protection.
“You cannot skimp on fire protection, as they are the cornerstone of protection in a community,” said Ernie.
Louttit’s stories about his days on the police force, spliced with anecdotes about working alongside firefighters painted a picture of respect among fellow protectors, adding that he hopes that Outlook as a whole will continue to show their support to the department for doing a job that so many of us admittedly could not do.
“I hope you can appreciate what these guys do,” he said, touching on how there is much more to firefighting. “You have my admiration every day. If you think people don’t remember you and what you do, they do. You make an impact every day. You’re leaders in your community, and you’re leaders to me.”
Outlook’s volunteer fire department is comprised of Dalas King, Randy Ball, Andrew Bowey, Keith Bowey, Richard Brenner, Sean Ferguson, Lance Hope, Don Hurd, Ryan Husband, James Jones, George King, Lyndon Larson, Brent Larwood, Luke Lockhart, Kyle McLeod, Joel Peru, Bob Reid, Jordan Rolleston, Kevin Thompson, Graham Thomson, and Dylan Herron.
