On Sunday, September 10, 2017, firefighters from across Canada gathered at the Canadian Firefighters Memorial, in Ottawa, on Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, east of Booth Street, to honour Canada's firefighters who have died in line of duty.
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| Sunday, September 10, 2017 |
Making this fourteenth annual ceremony historic is that it marks the first Firefighters’ National Memorial Day. The Canadian government has designated the second Sunday of September as Firefighters' National Memorial Day. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated, “Every year from now on, to honour the service and sacrifice of Canada’s
firefighters, the Canadian flag will fly at half-mast on all federal
buildings and establishments — including the Peace Tower — from sunrise
to sunset on the second Sunday in September."
I took more than 250 photographs of the ceremony. They appear below, with a few exceptions, in the order I took them.
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Mike Dunlop on the left played a key role in organizing the first ceremony and has
continued to do so since then. Bob Rainboth on the right started several years ago
as music director, which he still does, in addition to managing just about every
other aspect of the ceremony. |
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Arnold Lazare, Director of Community
Protection, Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, QC. |
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The Ottawa Fire Services Band under Paul Casagrande's
direction enters the ceremony site. |
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| Paul Casagrande, Ottawa Fire Services Band Director |
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| Mike McKenna, Master of Ceremonies |
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Doug Wyle, reading names added to the wall since the 2016 ceremony,
not including names of those who died in line of duty in 2016. |
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Remarks from Robert Kirkpatrick,
Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation President |
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Remarks from Brian Gray, Acting Fire Chief,
Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency |
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Remarks from The Honourable Ralph Goodale
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness |
The following photographs involve the reading of the names of the thirteen firefighters who died in line of duty during 2016, and the presentation of a medallion and helmet to their families. I took many photos during this part of the ceremony. I hope I included everyone.
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| Ringing of the Bell |
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| Last Post |
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| Moment of Silence |
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| Lament |
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| Reveille |
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John den Holander, Chaplain, Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency and
Captain Michel P. Gagné, Chaplain, Canadian Forces Support Unit (Ottawa)
close the ceremony with the Firefighters Prayer |
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| Amazing Grace |
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| March Past |
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| John Sobey, Ceremony Chairman |
