Work is underway on a new memorial plaza immortalizing Saanich firefighters who lost their lives while on duty.
A commemorative plaza outside Station #1 acknowledging the sacrifices of fallen firefighters has been in the works for a few years now, said Deputy Fire Chief Dan Wood. The department wanted a designated place to gather and “remember our line of duty death firefighters.”
Construction began in April and by early August, the design began to take shape. A concrete base has been poured and features a dark grey Maltese cross embedded in the centre – an international symbol for fire services. The adjacent slanted wall will eventually bear a red sign indicating the fire station, the names of the firefighters who died and the Saanich Fire Fighters’ Association’s Local number – 967.
While the design has yet to be finalized, Wood expects to see a number of other elements installed before construction is completed including flags and lighting.
The goal is to have the project finished by Sept. 13 – Firefighters’ National Memorial Day which takes place annually on the second Sunday of September – so a ceremony can be held at the new plaza.
Look at the progress!
— Dan Wood (@firechiefwood) August 6, 2020
Outstanding work by these #saanich crews completing the concrete work on our Saanich Fire Department #Memorial plaza.
Itâs going to be a meaningful gathering place!@SaanichFire @Local967 @saanich #dedication and #tradition pic.twitter.com/Hftb1ms2md
@devonscarlett
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