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Retired fire chief receives service medals at special Midway ceremony

Walt Osellame continues to train firefighters and high schoolers across the Boundary
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Former fire chief Walt Osellame (left) holds his gold bars and a service certificate, presented by Midway mayor Martin Fromme on Tuesday, April 20. Photo: Submitted

Retired fire chief Walt Osellame was recently honoured in a surprise ceremony in Midway.

Having put in 42 years as a volunteer firefighter, he was perhaps overdue for the recognition.

READ MORE: Midway fire chief Osellame to retire after long volunteer career

READ MORE: Midway honours Fire Chief Osellame with retirement package

Osellame, who received two service medals at the village community centre Tuesday evening, April 20, said he’d come to supervise an exam by Midway firefighters. If he’d expected to see Fire Chief Mike Daloise, no one had breathed a word that Mayor Martin Fromme and chief administrator Penny Feist would be there to give Osellame his “bars” — one strip of gold each for his third and fourth decades of service.

“It was very humbling. You don’t realize how fast 40 years go by,” Osellame told The Times.

A closeup shows Osellames gold bars, one each for his third and fourth decade of volunteer fire service. Photo: Submitted
A closeup shows Osellames gold bars, one each for his third and fourth decade of volunteer fire service. Photo: Submitted

READ MORE: Daloise succeeds Chief Osellame at Midway fire department

Now 67, he said he started battling wildfires at 17, going on to fight structure fires at 25. “I’m still helping out as best I can with the Midway crew,” he said, explaining that helps with logistics and training.

Osellame has meanwhile stayed on as the College of the Rockies’ fire-training coordinator. He also teaches fire suppression courses at Boundary Central Secondary School, where he served as principal for 24 years, and Grand Forks Secondary High School.


 

@ltritsch1
laurie.tritschler@grandforksgazette.ca

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laurie.tritschler@boundarycreektimes.com

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