City Firefighters Awarded Honourable Medal of Bravery by the Lieutenant Governor at Queen’s Park

Firefighters from Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services (MFES) were honoured at a special ceremony hosted at Queen’s Park by the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario last night. Nine MFES firefighters received the Ontario Medal for Firefighter Bravery for their acts of courage and bravery this past April during a massive three-alarm fire at an industrial warehouse in Mississauga. These nine firefighters made up the rescue team that worked to free and treat their injured colleagues immediately after an explosion occurred.

“I am extremely proud of the individuals being honoured,” said Tim Beckett, fire chief, MFES. “We are grateful to these firefighters who put their lives on the line during an emergency that threatened the safety and lives of people living and working where the incident occurred. These dedicated individuals did everything they could to save their teammates and ensure they protected and safeguarded the city and the local community.”

On April 23, MFES responded to an industrial warehouse fire on Thamesgate Dr. in northeast Mississauga. The warehouse contained unknown combustible chemical substances that caused an explosion, which injured four on-duty firefighters.

In total, sixteen firefighters from across the province are receiving medals, nine of the recipients from MFES include:

• Captain Bruce Hicks
• Captain Derek Wilson
• Acting Captain Brian Chapman
• Acting Captain Marcus Middleton
• Firefighter Matthew Attwell
• Firefighter Anthony Colabufalo
• Firefighter Larry Douglas Martin
• Firefighter Travis Robbins
• Firefighter Daryl Roy

The Ontario Medal for Firefighter Bravery recognizes individual acts of outstanding courage and bravery by members of Ontario’s firefighting services. This honour is an important way to demonstrate public support for Ontario firefighters who often face hazards while rescuing the property and lives of others as part of their jobs.

For event information or more about the Ontario Medal for Firefighter Bravery, visit the Province of Ontario’s newsroom.

For more information about the Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services’ programs and services, please mississauga.ca/fire.