For more than 50 years, firefighters who passed their probation would write their names and the date in chalk in the hose tower at Fire Hall No. 1 in downtown Prince George.
To honour that tradition, Prince George Fire Rescue invited Duchess Park Secondary School students to help write every name from the old tower on the new fire hall's hose tower walls.
That's about 250 names and there are another 50 names of firefighters that worked at the old fire hall that were included to commemorate their contributions as well.
“Our crews were extremely excited to move into the new, modern fire hall, but it was also a little sad to leave a few of the intangible parts of the old hall behind, particularly such a long-running tradition,” deputy fire chief Cliff Warner said. “We wanted to preserve some of the rich history and customs that began in the old building, so we reached out to the school district to see if teachers and students from nearby Duchess Park might work with us to bring the names and the tradition along with us as we moved to the new hall.”
The project saw the transcription of all the names written in the old hose tower into the new building.
“While there has been an active Fire Rescue Service in Prince George for over 100 years, we really only have reliable records of firefighting staff going back about 70 years to 1950,” Warner said.
Soon after the new hall opened, students from Duchess Park's Grade 12 Art Portfolio class started transcribing the names and dates of the fire fighters in black acrylic paint on the white walls of the new hose tower. It took six sessions that were two hours long.
The project saw 11 students add this real-world effort to their portfolios as they learned about social awareness while honouring the members of the local fire rescue.
The school district said they are looking to continue these kinds of collaborations with the City of Prince George as opportunities present themselves.
“Our School District 57 students proudly contributed to facilitating this transition, showing care and respect for our City of Prince George firefighters," Jaime Rose, the students’ art teacher, said. "This work is authentic and purposeful and gives meaning to the course curriculum. As students transferred historical elements from the old fire hall to the new one, they developed a greater understanding of how art is an essential element of culture and personal identity. Through their work the students also helped to ensure this new space felt welcoming and familiar to the staff members who had worked in the old building.”
Warner thanked the students for their contribution and presented each with an official letter of appreciation from the city and fire rescue.
“Both active and retired Fire Rescue members have toured the new tower and all are incredibly impressed and touched with the work these students did to help us preserve this special Prince George firefighter’s ritual," Warner said. "Traditions like this really help to make the new fire hall into a home.”
