The Deadly Mission

Volunteer firefighters are brave men around the globe, helping service their community by under going training and doing what they can to assist their communities. However, for Gary Kendell, he will not be able to help others any more, for a dark twist in a standard mock rescue lead to te death of the 51 year old man. His work was situated in the Ontario town of Port Edward, a small community of less than 2000 citizens, and the fire department is made up of a fire prevention officer, a fire chief, and almost 30 volunteer fire fighters. While he will be dearly missed by his wife and three kids, the fire departments of both Sarnia and Point Edward has received quite the shock in his death, one that may give future volunteers the want to be cautious. Sarnia Fire Chief, Pat Cayen, was quoted to say "It's a wake up call that it's your neighbour, it's your brother right next door, and you know, I think it wakes everybody". The death occured during a mock water rescue at Waterfront Park, where the now deceased was trapped underneath a sheet of ice, and died of injuries by the time his fellow comrades had gotten him to the hospital.

I would first like to offer my condolenses, as this is a tragic story, and this poor man had given a lot to his community, and to have to die and leave behind a family and community so early is very sad. I think the fire department shouldn't treat it so nonchalantly, though, because while it may be a "wake up call", it is also a tragedy, and should be treated delicately, not as something to teach the new recruits. Also, I question the fire departments decision making to initiate a water rescue on a frozen lake, where a real victim would no doubtly not survive either, and create unnecessary risk for these firemen. It is a very hard job in real life, but replicating a scenario that could end in death as a mock is just taking the point of a real mission out, but keeping the possibility of injury or fatalities. This interesting article can be found at this link, and many other Canadian publications.