After nearly 21 years as the fire chief for the City of Langford, Bob Beckett will be handing in his pager on June 16.
However, that pager going off at all hours is something BeckettB次元官网网址檚 not going to miss B次元官网网址� especially at 2 a.m. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 an adjustment IB次元官网网址檓 okay with,B次元官网网址� he said with a chuckle.
ItB次元官网网址檚 been a roughly 41-year journey in the fire service that led Beckett to where he is today, one that started in Waterloo, Ont., but led to many jurisdictions in that province during the early stages of his career. In the late B次元官网网址�80s Beckett made the move to the west coast and eventually landed in Terrace to serve as fire chief.
During those first years in B.C. Beckett took a brief two-year hiatus from the fire service, taking a position as the organ and tissue donor co-ordinator with a Vancouver hospital. But it just wasnB次元官网网址檛 the right match, so Beckett found himself moving back to Ontario and firefighting, settling in a small community outside of Windsor.
During talks of amalgamation and department restructuring Beckett started his job search again, looking at other departments in Ontario. ThatB次元官网网址檚 when he heard about the position with Langford.
Having lived in Vancouver he was familiar with the Island and jumped at the opportunity. B次元官网网址淚 threw my name in and havenB次元官网网址檛 looked back.B次元官网网址�
Being a part of the fire service has also led , landing in countries such as the United States, Mexico, Haiti, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Belize.
In 1996, Beckett spent roughly a month volunteering as a firefighter with the United Nations during the Bosnian War. B次元官网网址淲e were being shelled and shot at and we were just there to help the civilians on both sides B次元官网网址� I couldnB次元官网网址檛 understand how human beings could do that to each other B次元官网网址� there were snipers shooting at children.B次元官网网址�
He dug a sniperB次元官网网址檚 bullet out of a wall and hung it in his Langford office as a reminder.
Members of the Langford department were in New York less than a week after the 9/11 attacks, accompanying families of fallen firefighters to Ground Zero. B次元官网网址淚t left a huge hole in my heart. That inspired me to try to respond by working with our colleagues in Afghanistan.B次元官网网址�
Another experience that shaped his career came when he was the fire chief in Terrace. As part of a ride along B次元官网网址� a program that helps departments share experiences and different technical trainingB次元官网网址� Beckett arrived in Los Angeles the day of the verdict in the case involving Rodney King and the ensuing riots.
He was assigned to a task force for 48 hours, B次元官网网址渓iterally going from fire to fire,B次元官网网址� Beckett said. At one point he looked at the screen that dispatched crews to their next fire. B次元官网网址淲e had 18 calls backed up waiting for us,B次元官网网址� he said, still in disbelief.
While he noted, B次元官网网址渆very call you go to is such a significant event for those impacted by it,B次元官网网址� there are a number that have had a significant impact on his own life.
One came when he was a firefighter in Hillsburgh, Ont. Crews were called to a farmhouse, knowing a family of five lived there, but arrived to find it fully engulfed. B次元官网网址淭o arrive on scene and not be able to attempt a rescue knowing the children were there,B次元官网网址� BeckettB次元官网网址檚 voice trailed off. No one survived that fire.
Any calls involving children are ones that stick, he added.
Closer to home, Langford crews were dispatched to Naramata to help with the Okanagan wildfires in 2003. It was a long weekend when the call came in. B次元官网网址淥ne of our trucks had rolled down the side of the mountain,B次元官网网址� Beckett said. Three Langford firefighters were in intensive care and two others were seriously injured B次元官网网址� all survived. B次元官网网址淚 flew out with the families of all five individuals B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檒l never forget that phone call.B次元官网网址�
Being a member of the department is like having a large extended family. B次元官网网址淲e often refer to the fire service as our other family,B次元官网网址� Beckett explained. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e responsible for each other.B次元官网网址�
During his time with Langford heB次元官网网址檚 seen the city and his family grow with generations passing the pager to the next. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e grown up in this second family, married and are now bringing their families into the hall B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 amazing to see,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚 am so profoundly proud of everyone in our organization, grateful to the career staff, our CRD regional fire dispatchers, our dedicated volunteers and forever indebted to assistant chiefs Davidson, Spriggs, and Aubrey for their support and leadership.B次元官网网址�
Now that retirement is on the quickly approaching horizon, Beckett plans to focus on family. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to devote a bit more time to my other family who have been very supportive over the years,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to take the summer off and enjoy our place up in Bamfield.B次元官网网址�
After the summer he plans to do more volunteering as well. B次元官网网址淚 want to get involved in something meaningful come the fall.B次元官网网址� That something may still involve some degree of connection to the fire service.
ItB次元官网网址檚 been a career filled with ups and downs but one Beckett wouldnB次元官网网址檛 trade. B次元官网网址淭here hasnB次元官网网址檛 been a day I havenB次元官网网址檛 enjoyed coming to work and not many people can say that B次元官网网址� I think that some people lose sight of the fact that to be in the service of others is a privilege.B次元官网网址�
Twitter: @KEngqvist
