Remembering firefighters & their sacrifice during a tough wildfire year

Kelowna remembered the fallen Monday for the annual 9/11 Ceremony and Stair Climb, a solemn tribute to bravery and sacrifice.

First responders from around the Okanagan donned their forestry firefighting gear, paying tribute not only to the heroes lost on 9/11 but also to those who made the ultimate sacrifice battling forest fires in the line of duty.

Two firefighters have lost their lives in B.C. during this particular challenging wildfire season.

The commemorative event kicked off with a solemn full honour guard and a stirring pipe and drum ceremony, leading the way for a moving procession up Knox Mountain.

Kelowna firefighters Larry Watkinson and Kyle Jacobson understand the significant meaning this day holds for those who fought and continue to do the job.

“Every anniversary it comes around and I reflect back on that day and how it affected me personally and the tragedy that took those 343 firefighters’ lives,” Watkinson said. “I'm here today just to always remember the sacrifice of those firefighters and what we do on a regular basis and to make sure that our firefighters know that we're there for them and to support them.”

“It’s definitely a somber day, remembering our brothers and sisters who passed away that day. It's been 22 years, but, you know, like everyone here can still remember where they were. “It's just one of those big tragic events,” Jacobson said.

Watkinson noted that one major sacrifice that firefighters face is being apart from their families, especially during the busy summer months, demonstrating their dedication to keeping everyone safe.

“These last few weeks have been very committed with regular shifts and responding to our community's emergency needs as a regular day-to-day operation, never mind, you know, battling a massive wildfire event,” he said. “Sacrifice is one of the things that we commit to as firefighters and we’ll always commit to protect our communities.”

The event raised money to support the Kelowna Firefighters’ Charitable Society.