By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
The Osoyoos Fire Rescue celebrated a handful of significant milestones recently including a “push-in” of a new rescue truck, the honouring of long-time fire chiefs and firefighters and the retirement/birthday of another long time member.
The evening kicked off with the firefighters of Station 191 undertaking a traditional push-in for the new delivery of Rescue 191 which replaces a substantially older piece of equipment.
Members of the Osoyoos Fire Rescue squad “push-in” their new fire rescue vehicle in a tradition that goes back to horse drawn carriage days. Don Urquhart photos
Osoyoos Fire Rescue’s new Rescue 191.
Deputy Chief Rob Huttema explained that the push-in ceremony is a long-standing tradition that stems from the very early days when fire wagons were powered by horses.
Explaining that “horses don’t back up very well” Huttema says the horses would be unhitched from the carriage which would then be pushed back into the fire hall by hand. “It was also believed to be bad luck to have the horses back up the carriage,” he added.
That tradition has carried on for a great many years and “traditions are a big part of the fire service,” he added.
In the passenger seat of Rescue 191 for the push-in was Firefighter Eileen Varga who retired after 17 years of service to Osoyoos Fire Rescue and Emergency Support Services. Varga also celebrated her birthday that evening surrounded by her firefighting family along with her own family.
Eileen Varga with a plague commemorating her 17 years of service with Osoyoos Fire Chief Corey Kortmeyer.
Varga rang herself out with three rings of the bell, as each firefighter rings themselves in when they join the department. “Thank you very much for your service and your family’s service,” said Fire Chief Corey Kortmeyer. Varga also highlighted that she’s more than happy going forward to step in and help where help is needed.
Also honoured was former Fire Chief Paul Balogh who was appointed fire chief in 1966, taking over from the department’s fire chief Percy Bates who served as the first fire chief from the department’s inception as the Osoyoos Fire Brigade in 1939, putting in 30 years of service.
Commemorating Percy Bates’ contribution with a decal on the back of an Osoyoos Fire Rescue truck.
Balogh first joined in December of 1954, a time when there were only 15 or so firefighters on the roster, Kortmeyer said addressing those in attendance at the fire hall. To commemorate Balogh’s 30 years of service a special decal was added to the back of Rescue 191 dedicating it in his honour.
He often referred to fire service as his extended family, and “after serving 42 years in total with the Osoyoos Fire he retired. The drive to make things better in his community led him to run for a councilor position with the village council,” Kortmeyer noted.
“During his tenure at the fire department, he saw the fire department grow tenfold to a lot more firefighters here than when he originally signed up. We’re also here to honour his service and the legacy of his family that followed him. So thank you.”
Honouring a firefighting contribution of Garth Kunz that stretched for more than 50 years. Pictured (left to right): Capt Todd Kunz, Lesley Hanson, Darleen Kunz, and Chief Corey Kortmeyer.
Former firefighter Garth Kunz was also honoured for his long service, stretching some 53 years, with a dedication on another fire truck. “ Garth was known to build and manufacture many fire hall items,” Kortmeyer noted.
He added that when firefighter Colin Lancaster applied for Garth’s 50 year service bar the fire department was informed that they had to make one because that bar was not in service at that time.
“So it speaks to the years of service that firefighter Kunz put in,” Kortmeyer said. And when he did get his 50 year bar, he was the first person in Canada to be issued one.
Kunz retired in January 2019 and passed away on October 25, 2019. “His contributions to the fire service are everlasting. His passion and commitment to service are also living through his son, Captain Todd Kunz.
“We are also here to honour his service for being the longest serving firefighter on record at the town for Osoyoos Fire Rescue. Thank you for your service.”
Eileen Varga posing with her Osoyoos firefighting “family”.
“People are and always will be our greatest asset. Their contributions over the years of service have been an important part of our continued success,” the current fire chief said.
“Today we recognize Chief Percy Bates, Chief Paul Balogh and Firefighter Garth Kunz for their countless hours of service to the Town of Osoyoos, only when people were having their worst day that they could be called upon to make it better.
“We’re blessed to have such an amazing, legacy and we all stand on the shoulders of those that are dedicated and those driven professionals are the ripples of what we are riding today. So again, thank you.”
