LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Three volunteer fire fighters in Fort Simpson were honoured during a years of service award ceremony at the fire hall on Jan. 18.

Firefighters in Fort Simpson held a belated celebration in honour of winning the 2015 NWT Fire Service Merit Award from the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. From left are assistant fire marshall Travis Wright, Fort Simpson Fire Chief Roger Pilling and Deputy Fire Chief Pat Rowe. - April Hudson/NNSL photo

Tyler Pilling, who has been on the department for two and a half years, received a two-year service award, while Caitlin Blyth and Michael Rowe each received a five-year service award.

Blyth and Rowe have been on the department for more than six years, but this is the first awards ceremony the department has held since 2015.

The awards were presented by Fire Chief Roger Pilling, deputy fire chief Pat Rowe and assistant fire marshall Travis Wright.

The department also officially celebrated being awarded the 2015 Fire Service Merit Award.

Wright said the awards are a way of recognizing the dedication firefighters have shown to the department, and the excellence of the department as a whole. The Fire Service Merit Award was given based on criteria of going above and beyond the call of duty, as well as significant contributions to the NWT Fire Service.

Wright sat on the selection committee that reviewed applicants for the Fire Service Merit Award and had the opportunity to give the committee a rundown of what Fort Simpson's fire department does.

"It was really eye-opening for me to realize how much they know about this department. Right away, they jumped on the fact that they're just baffled this community's fire department does ambulance service," he said.

"It is such an undertaking to do, and there's so much work, training and calls involved with that . (This is) a prestigious award to receive as an individual. For a department, it's that much more sepcial and shows what level of service this community provides."

Pilling said the total hours volunteers spent training in 2016 fell just shy of 2,000. The department responded to 164 ambulance calls over the course of the year, held 25 meetings and attended three fires.

2016 also marked the 18-year mark since the community has suffered a death from a fire.

But while fires are few and far between, Pilling said the training volunteers receive is important nonetheless.

"It's guaranteed that one of these days you will get to use it," he told volunteers gathered for the ceremony.

Pat Rowe echoed those sentiments, impressing on the crowd how vital training is.

"The training you're taking, the dedication you're showing, you are the best. Your friends, family, everyone else is getting the best possible help they can, and you should be very proud of that," he said.

The ceremony included a speech from Liidlii Kue First Nation Chief Jerry Antoine, who said he is thankful for the dedication of the fire department.