City marks firefighter deaths on 9/11 anniversary

Edmonton Fire Rescue Services honoured the victims of 9/11 and the services' own fallen members in a ceremony on Thursday.

Edmonton Fire Rescue Services on Thursday honoured active and retired firefighters who died in the past year.

The ceremony was held at the Firefighters Memorial Plaza on 83 Avenue, as it is every year on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre, in which 343 members of the New York City Fire Department died, the single greatest loss of firefighters in history.

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EFRS, government officials, and families on Thursday paid tribute to 23 local firefighters who died in the past year.

All members were retired, confirmed EFRS communications officer Kyle Owcharuk, but one was recognized as a death in the line of duty due to occupational illness.

“Each member of the Edmonton Fire Rescue Service, whether on active duty or not, is a member of the City of Edmonton family; when one of our colleagues passes, we all share the loss,” said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi.

Fire chief David Lazenby advocated for more supports for occupation-related cancers, and recognition of these deaths as line-of-duty deaths.

“People give so much, and ultimately, some have given their lives, so the least we can do is spend some time just to remember and all that and realize the sacrifices,” he told CTV News Edmonton.

To him, the annual ceremony is a reminder of the significance of his role.

“It really kind of brings to life the responsibility that I have to make sure that our firefighters are as safe as they possibly can be.”