Remembering Gary

4 years ago today our family lost someone very special. My cousin, Gary, died after an accident on his way to a fire. Always loved and never forgotten...

Canadian firefighter Gary Giffin passed away Tuesday, June 11 after suffering serious injuries in a pumper rollover.
Giffin, 31, had served the Fort Nelson Fire Department in British Columbia as a full time firefighter for one year, said Acting Assistant Chief Al Bone.
Gary Giffin
On June 4 at 2:43 a.m. Giffin was responding alone in a pumper to a double-wide trailer fire. He was involved in an accident and the vehicle rolled, Bone said.
Giffin was ejected from the vehicle and sustained serious head injuries. His coworkers responded, and he was flown to Edmonton University Hospital. He never regained consciousness and passed away June 11 at 9:50 a.m.
This is the first line of duty death in the department, and the first time members had to respond to one of their own. "There's a first time for everything," Bone said sadly.
Giffin is survived by his parents and his fiancee. He was a Tae Kwon Do instructor with his own club, and enjoyed softball. He was also an ardent fund raiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada.
"He was happy-go-lucky and loved the outdoors," Bone said.
The funeral is scheduled for Wednesday, June 19 at 2 p.m. at the Fort Nelson Community Recreation Center.
The Fort Nelson Fire Department is a combination department with about six full time firefighters and 20 part time paid-on-call firefighters. They serve a population of 6000 in a fire district of approximately 45 square miles, with a large industrial area and both rural and urban residential areas.
Fort Nelson is located in north eastern British Columbia at Mile 300 of the Alaska Highway, about 1,000 miles northeast of Vancouver.

The Firefighter's Prayer
When I'm called to duty God,
wherever flames may rageGive me strength to save a life,
whatever be its age.
Help me to embrace a little child
before it is to late.Or save an older person
from the horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert
To hear the weakest shoutAnd quickly and efficiently
To put the fire out
I want to fill my calling Lord
and To give the best in me To guard my neighbour and
Protect his property
And if according to your will
I have to lose my lifeBless with your protecting hand
My children and my wife.