Metchosin firefighters Capt. Jason Humphries and Capt. Eric Meredith marched in a procession through Enderby streets last week to honour fallen firefighter Capt. Daniel Botkin.
B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 know what to expect but we went there for the (Enderby) fire department and for the family,B次元官网网址� Humphries said. More than 1,000 firefighters from across B.C. and Alberta attended.
Fire departments from across Greater Victoria and the Island attended the Jan. 5 funeral, including Langford, Colwood, View Royal and Metchosin.
Capt. Greg Chow from Colwood Fire Rescue attended the service with four other members of the department. This is the second funeral service Chow attended for a fallen firefighter.
B次元官网网址淚t was very moving. (Enderby) is a tight-knit community,B次元官网网址� Chow said. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 imagine being in that situation, you hope it never happens.B次元官网网址�
Prior to the funeral service, held at the community hockey arena, volunteer and career firefighters marched two kilometres through town.
B次元官网网址淭he people of Enderby were overwhelmed,B次元官网网址� Meredith said. B次元官网网址�(Botkin) had quite an impact on the community.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭here must have been everyone in town lined up along the street,B次元官网网址� Humphries said. B次元官网网址淭here wasnB次元官网网址檛 a dry eye in the crowd or among the people marching.B次元官网网址�
Langford deputy chief Kerry Zado and two other Langford firefighters attended as well.
Zado recalled the firefighters getting ready to march in rows of three, but with the overwhelming amount of emergency personnel, rows grew to five people wide.
B次元官网网址淔irst it was three people wide, then four, then five. The line was just getting so long,B次元官网网址� Zado said. B次元官网网址淚t took about an hour and a half to load the arena with firefighters.B次元官网网址�
For Zado hearing of the loss of a young firefighter hits close to home as he has two children both working in the fire service.
B次元官网网址淔or me, I am so glad I was there, but hope I never have to do it again,B次元官网网址� Zado said. B次元官网网址淔irefighters are a family and we look after each other.B次元官网网址�
Botkin was killed while on duty with the Enderby Volunteer Fire Department on Dec. 29.
B次元官网网址淭his happened during mop up. They were rolling up the hoses and the doors blew off a shipping container,B次元官网网址� Zado said.
The Enderby fire crews had been called out to a structure fire that day. The incident occurred after the fire was out. The cause of the explosion is unknown.
B次元官网网址淚t was overwhelming. It was a tremendous show of support,B次元官网网址� said View Royal fire Chief Paul Hurst, who attended the service along with three View Royal firefighters. B次元官网网址淲hat happened in Enderby could easily happened in any department in B.C.B次元官网网址�
Hurst said BotkinB次元官网网址檚 funeral was his first for a firefighter lost in the line of duty. B次元官网网址淔ortunately this doesnB次元官网网址檛 happen often,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 even have the words to describe it.B次元官网网址�
Enderby firefighters responded to a structure fire much like Metchosin volunteers might on any given day, remarked fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop.
B次元官网网址淲hen ever there is a fatality it is definitely felt across the board,B次元官网网址� Dunlop said. B次元官网网址淚t could happen to any of us. We never know what we are getting into when we respond to call.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淣obody expects that they will lose their life,B次元官网网址� Humphries said. B次元官网网址淚t was definitely a privilege to go.B次元官网网址�
reporter@goldstreamgazette.com
