Fire departments from Saskatchewan's Delta radio region raised $11,900 for the family of fallen firefighter James Hargrave of Walsh, Alberta - and the gift was delivered directly to Hargrave's widow, Elizabeth Hargrave, by Carlyle Fire and Rescue Deputy Chiefs, John Brownlee and Rob Klassen, who made the drive to Walsh on Nov. 29.
Hargrave, 34, died on October 17 while fighting wildfires in Alberta and Saskatchewan that forced the evacuation of several communities in both provinces. A volunteer firefighter with the Walsh fire department, Hargrave died in a crash near Burstall, Sask. He leaves to mourn his wife and their four young children.
Fire departments from Carlyle, Carnduff, Kenosee Lake, Kipling, Kisbey, Lampman, Manor, Redvers, Stoughton, Estevan and Weyburn, as well as Biggar, Lakeland, and Smeaton held fundraisers in aid of Hargrave's family.
“These are fire departments from throughout the Delta radio region,” explains Brownlee. “It's to do with our dispatch system. Most are from southeast Saskatchewan, but no matter where a firefighter is from, it's something that hits you hard.”
Klassen agrees, adding: “As firefighters, it hits us all. We're out there doing the same thing, so it's natural to put yourself in the same situation and think about it.”
“We all wanted to do somehing for (Hargrave's) family, so we got in contact with the chief in Walsh and he arranged everything,” explains Klassen. “We drove to their ranch outside Walsh and met Elizabeth and the family.”
“It was a trip we felt we had to make, but we had mixed emotions,” he says. “On one hand, you're doing something to help, but you realize what they're going through with four young kids at home.”
“It's something you never want to do as a firefighter,” says Brownlee. “But as a firefighter, you also want to help your fallen men and you feel a real responsibility towards them, too.”
“I know each and every firefighter feels that way and in Carlyle, we owe a huge thank you to everyone who came out to our barbeque at the fire hall in November,” adds Brownlee.” It was donation-only and we raised over $1,000 for this family.”
“And we'd like to thank everyone else from all of the other departments who helped make this happen for the Hargrave family,” he says.
“We wanted to support our fellow firefighter and because of the contributions from so many people in our province, we were able to.”
