Look who's 125 years old!

NEWS RELEASE

DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP

***************************** Orazietti salutes forest fire fighters on 125th anniversary

Ontario celebrates fire rangers’ contribution to protecting Ontarians

SAULT STE. MARIE - The provincial government is celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Ontario fire rangers, who are a highly trained, experienced and dedicated group of forest fire fighters that are the cornerstone of Ontario’s internationally recognized fire management program, David Orazietti MPP announced today.

“On behalf of the provincial government I would like to thank the fire rangers for their tireless work and the tremendous contribution they have made over the past 125 years in keeping Ontario’s people and communities safe from fires,” said Orazietti. “Our fire rangers have also provided invaluable support to fighting some of the largest forest fires in Canada and the U.S. and, in doing so, earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the most highly skilled emergency response teams in North America.”

Under mutual support arrangements, Ontario fire rangers have been called into action to assist other jurisdictions across North America. 

For example, the 2009 fire season in British Columbia was the most challenging on record with over 3,000 fires. Ontario’s role was acknowledged with British Columbia’s Heroes and Rescue Award that “recognizes courageous action in a time of crisis.”

Each fire season, over 800 seasonal fire rangers are trained and ready to protect people, their property and the province’s forests. 

On average, they respond to about 2,000 calls each year.

Some years are more demanding than others, such as 2006, when 3,400 incidents were reported. 

Today’s celebration of the 125th anniversary of the fire rangers’ work coincides with the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre’s 15th annual Bushplane Days.

The Bushplane Centre will be unveiling the recently restored CF-PSM-X Prototype Turbo Beaver.

The fire rangers anniversary also provides an opportunity to recognise the important contribution the Provincial Air Service has made to fighting fires, saving lives and protecting communities in northern Ontario over the past 86 years.

*****************************