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| Walkways occupy the south east corner of the memorial site. For the annual memorial ceremony these provide a parade route for the procession of bands, honour guard, and participating firefighters. |
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| Landscaping adds a park like atmosphere to the memorial site and adds an environmental aspect to the memorial intended to comfort those who have lost a firefighter in their family or their fire department. |
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| Stone benches provide places to sit in a quiet contemplative environment. |
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| In the original plans for the site the wall would extend around this contemplative area. The wall became shorter but the intent to provide a secluded area for reflection is still accomplished. |
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| This plaque contains The Firefighters Prayer in two languages. Firefighter's Prayer When I cam called to duty, God Whenever flames may rage Give me the strength to save a life Whatever be its age Help me embrace a little child Before it is too late Or save an older person From the horror of that fate Enable me to be alert And hear the weakest shout And quickly and efficiently Put the fire out I want to fill my calling To give the best im me To guard my every neighbour And protect their property And if, according to your Will I must answer death's last call Bless with your protecting hand My family one and all La prière du pompier Quand le devoir m'appelle, Dieu mon ami, Et que les flammes sans pitié ravagent, Donne-moi la force de sauver des vies Et sourtout, de ne jamais perdre courage. Avec toi, j'attendrai avant qu'il ne soit trop tard, Le petit enfant blessé, le malheureux vieillar, Qu'il me soit permis, dand ta générosité, De leur épargner l'horreur de cette destinée. Puisqu'en tout temps, il me faut être en alerte, Je t'en prie Seigneur, guide tous mes gestes, Dans la tumulte infernal de l'incendie, Fais-moi entendre le plus faibles des cris. C'est avec gloire que je remplirai ma destinée, Sauver des vies, n'est-ce pas le plus beau des métiers? Quand le calme revient et que chacun retrouve ses biens, C'est alors que je serai fier d'avoir aidé mon prochain. S'il arrivait, que par ta volonté, Ma vie je sois obligé de donner, Je te prie de veiller sur les miens, Et de bénir en moi le pompier qui tien. |
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The structure in which the pine tree grows is essentially a very large planter. It provides a well insulated place for the tree's roots and incorporates a few other features. The tree, either a red or white pine in the original plans was to be a British Columbia fir tree but the Ottawa climate is too harsh for that tree. The pine, that grows slowly will reach a height of about 40 metres (130 feet). Eventually it will dominate the landscape as it represents wildland firefighters. |
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| Beneath the text there are circular bronze caps. They can be removed to provide a place where rods can be inserted to provide support for the altar on which a bell and firefighter helmets are placed during the annual memorial ceremony held on the memorial site. |
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| The square metallic panel on the tree planter provides access to eight 20 amp outlets. These provide electric power for sound equipment used during memorial ceremonies held on the site. |
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| The square green panel set in the grass covers access to water. Under the panel there is a threaded tap that will take a standard household garden hose, and a valve to open it so that the site's plants can be watered. This is one of two on the site. Further up there is a round manhole cover. This allows access to the electrical and water systems on the site. |
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| The large flat open space provides a place for people to participate in the annual Canadian Firefighters Memorial Ceremony. |
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| Between the two rows of plants in the forground there is a low point covered with stones. There is a culvert under the walkway that goes into the site and another that goes under the walkway at the edge of the site. This feature drains excess water from the memorial site. |
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| This hill and the stand of sugar maple trees on it provide a barrier of sorts between the memorial site and the condominium next to it. The plan called for stone structures on the hill similar to those on the street face of the memorial. The planners decided to omit those structures as they would have provided an environment for skate boarders and they deemed inappropriate for the purpose of the site. |
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| The bronze firefighter stands as a focal point for the memorial. Many Canadian fire departments contributed brass fire hose couplings that became a component of the alloy from which the sixteen foot (4.87 metres) tall statue was cast. |
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| He points to the wall where Canadian firefighters killed in line of duty are commemorated. |
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| Any memorial site to firefighters should have the Maltese cross and there it is on the Firefighter's helmet. The wording on the cross is, "Fire Service Incendie Canada." |
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| In 1942 Jacques Cousteau and Emilie Gagnan invented a demand valve system that allowed divers to breathe from compressed air tanks while under water. This system also allows firefighters to breathe uncontaminated air while firefighting in smoke filled environments. |
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| The firefighter wears the Canadian flag on his shoulder. |
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| From the earliest days working toward building what became the Canadian Firefighters Memorial everyone who heard about the work just assumed there would be a wall with the names of firefighters who have died in the line of duty. The wall incorporated into the chosen design is a stylized map of Canada. As of the 2015 Canadian Firefighters Memorial Ceremony there are 1,248 names on the wall. |
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| The names on the wall are grouped by geographic region. For example the part of the wall shown here represents western Canada and specifically, British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories. |
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| A series of short vertical columns occupies the base of the wall. Alternating columns contain lights. Each one has a small numbered plaque at its top. This number will help those who want to find a specific name on the wall. In the database of the fallen on the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation web site, clicking on a firefighter's name will bring up more information about that firefighter. Included in that information is a number that corresponds to the closest number atop one of these columns. |
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| Toronto Firefighter William Thornton who died in line of duty in 1848 is the earliest known firefighter line of duty death. The earliest known settlement in what is now Canada took place in 1601. Quebec City was founded in 1608 and has a history of very bad fires. For example a fire in Quebec City in 1630 left 200 families without homes. Most likely firefighters that we don't know about died in that conflagration. in 1910 there were large and intense forest fires throughout North America including Canada. One such fire in the northwestern region of the United States, per The Year of the Fires by Stephen J. Pyne, killed 72 wildland firefighters in three days. There were forest fires of similar size and intensity in New Brunswick, Ontario and other parts of Canada in that year. Though we have no records of firefighter line of duty deaths from those fires it is very likely that such deaths occurred. To account for the firefighter line of duty deaths that we don't know about this text is included on the wall. |
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| This is the Canadian Firefighters Memorial dedication plaque. It features the logos of the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation, Canada, Canadian Heritage and the National Capital Commission. CANADIAN FIREFIGHTERS MEMORIAL WE WERE THERE This monument is dedicated to all Canadian firefighters who serve their communities, and honours by name those who have died in the line of duty. This memorial was made possible with the support of the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the Government of Canada. Unveiled on September 9, 2012 by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston Governor General of Canada Artist: Douglas Coupland Landscape Architect: PLANT Architect Inc. MONUMENT AUX POMPIERS CANADIENS NOUS ÉTIONS LÀ Ce monument est dédié à tous les pompiers canadiens au service de leur collectivité et il honore le nom et la mémoire de tous ceux et celles quit sont morts dans l'exercice de leurs fonctions. Ce monument commémoratif a été érigé grâce au soutien de la Fondation canadienne des pompiers morts en service et du gouvernement du Canada. Inauguré le 9 septembre 2012 par Son Excellence le très honorable David Johnston, gouvernor général du Canada Artiste: Douglas Coupland Architecte paysagiste: PLANT Architect Inc. |
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| This sign contains a quick response (QR) code that links to Canadian Heritage's web page for the memorial. |
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| These remaining photographs show the landscaping on the northern slope on the other side of the wall. The stone covered areas are reminiscent of the Canadian shield. The trees are red oaks. The plants chosen to landscape the site have to be suffciently hardy to thrive in Ottawa's climate zone. |
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| Although the presence of a fire hydrant on the memorial site is completely coincidental it is appropriate to be there. |
