The 100 Mile House Post Office presented two plaques to local first responders on Thursday, Oct. 25, in recognition of the incredible work of all emergency workers during the 2017 wildfires.
The plaques were authorized by Canada Post and signed by the 100 Mile House staff.
Svend Nielsen, detachment commander Staff Sgt. of the 100 Mile House RCMP, and Dale Bachmier, a trained officer and one of the captains for the Lone Butte Volunteer Fire Department, accepted the plaques.
“It’s what we call a thankless job,” said Bachmier, adding that no volunteer firefighter does what they do for the recognition.
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When somebody does take the time to recognize their hard work, he said it’s a good feeling.
Bachmier understood the magnitude of representing all the people who worked on last summer’s wildfires: the many local departments and the workers who came in from other areas.
He and his partner worked as tender drivers during the fires, he said, and an engine from their hall went to many different communities to help out.
“It brought us together, to work together as one unit basically,” he said.
The plaques were large-scale representations of two of the stamps in Canada Posts’ new five-stamp first responders collection.
The stamp collection was designed by William Lam and illustrated by Shiro Nishiguchi and are intended as a tribute to members of the Canadian Armed Forces, firefighters, paramedics, police and search and rescue.
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For Diana Fletcher at the 100 Mile House Post Office, the stamps “hit a little bit closer to home” because of last summer, she said.
“We just wanted to make sure that we recognize them.”
Nielsen, who was seeing the stamps for the first time, said they were “an excellent representation” of first responders.
He said the plaque presentation was also a wonderful tribute.
“I think it’s just a wonderful thing to have, to represent how Canada Post feels about the RCMP and policing in general.”
He especially appreciated the personal touch of having staff signatures on the back of the plaque.
“(It) shows how much they appreciate the work we do and we definitely appreciate it.”
beth.audet@100milefreepress.net
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