“Receiving this endorsement from the local fire fighters is an honour,” said Scott. “I take their trust in me very seriously, and I intend to provide a strong, effective voice in government for them, and for every other constituent in my riding, if elected on April 23^rd.”

At this time of year thoughts turn to friends and family, joy and peace. Of course they also turn to shopping mall mayhem, parking lot chaos, and credit card debt. This year, though, my thoughts have turned to something else. They have turned to community, and to those in it who are in need. This year more than any other these thoughts have started to dominate my free time, and it's because of time spent at places like the Fort McMurray Food Bank and the Centre of Hope. And those thoughts are why a video posted on Facebook made me cry this week.

The video was posted on the page of local radio personality Jerry Neville, someone I have come to know over the past few months. Jerry and his girlfriend Jen have become some of my favourite Fort Mac people - relatively new to town they have embraced it, and the people in it. I often find them at events, sometimes as part of the radio stations they work for, but often as volunteers, too. They are out there getting involved in the community, and it makes me so very happy. Added to this they are just genuinely kind people, so it's easy to like them.

This week Jerry posted a video. It was about the Fort McMurray Fire Fighters, a group of people who run into burning buildings when everyone else is running out (and who look damn fine in a uniform, too - sorry, have I mentioned my weakness for men in uniforms?!?). You'd think their job alone is enough to make them heroes, and in my mind it is - but they don't stop there. Oh no, that's only part of their heroism. The other part is how they raise money in the community by doing things like a rooftop camp-out at Paddy McSwiggin's, and like a calendar (mmmm, fire fighters in calendars - sorry, got distracted there for a moment!). And then they take this money and give it away, to things like Muscular Dystrophy research. And this week? Well, this week they gave $10,000 to a place that has become very special to me - The Centre of Hope. That humble little blue building on Franklin, the wonderful people who work in it, and, most importantly, it's patrons, have become a touchstone in my life this year. They taught me that everyone has a story worth sharing with the world. The Centre of Hope helped me find my Christmas spirit this year, it showed me true hope and compassion in action, and it opened both my heart and my mind. So, when I saw the video Jerry posted I cried.

I cried because I'm not the only one touched by what The Centre of Hope does. I cried because of fire fighters who not only risk their lives for us as part of their jobs but also spend their free time raising money for our community. I cried because of people like Jerry who come to this city and who get involved to try to make it a better place. And I cried because of what this community has come to mean to me personally. Sometimes I see all the strings tied together - the fire fighters that I already consider community heroes even without their volunteer service, the places like The Centre of Hope, the people like those who work in our non-profit groups, and people like Jerry - and I am simply overwhelmed with a sense of community.

This is why I fight for Fort McMurray. This is why I defend it against negative media. And this is why I write this blog - because I want to share with the world that this little place, this place so often misunderstood and so often maligned, is special. It is no different than every other community in this country, and yet it is different, too - it's different because it is mine. It's my community. It's my home, and I'm proud of it - and of all those who call it home, too.

The Fort McMurray Fire Fighters with Mayor Blake show off their pink work T-Shirts. Local City Fire Fighters are wearing the pink shirts during the month of October to show their support for Breast Cancer.

To honour the brave, the fallen and the fighting, the Fort McMurray Fire Departments Honour Guard is calling on local artists to design a firefighter memorial statue for outside the new fire hall, No. 5, in Gregoire.

Jean-Francois Goupil, fire safety codes officer and fire inspector and Honour Guard member, says there are lots of firefighter memorials around, but none for the Fort McMurray Fire department.

"We really wanted one that was our own," said Goupil. "It's also a really good opportunity for the community that we serve to get involved."

The memorial design calls for a statue encapsulating the theme of fallen firefighters.

"We're not the most artistic types here, so it's a chance for local artists to step up and get recognized. We know what we want to see, but it's good to have something designed that other people want to see as well," he added.

The Honour Guard recently hosted its first annual golf tournament, bringing in over $28,000 in donations towards the firefighter memorial.

"We're still got a long way to go. We're expecting it to cost around $100 thousand or more," said Goupil, " so we're going to continue fundraising as much as we can."

Between the monthly 50/50 raffles held at the fire hall and the donations they receive for community appearances, it will take a while for the hall to raise the full amount for the statue, but Goupil is confident that they will succeed.

The complete Honour Guard will travel to Colorado Springs Sept. 15-19 to attend the International Firefighter Memorial where they will see the adding of their former Battalion Chief, James Banting, who died earlier this year from complications with colon cancer.

"He was a really great guy and a long-time resident of Fort McMurray. We really want to honour him at the ceremony in Colorado Springs," said Goupil.

Designs must be drawn (for example, charcoal, pen, photoshop), and while there are no size restrictions, all submissions must be submitted through the mail and received by Nov. 11.

Send submissions to: FMFD Firefighter Memorial Design Competition, PO Box 6138, Fort McMurray, AB, T9H 4W1.

At the 2011 World Police Fire games held in New York Fire Fighter Trevor Mitchell won a gold medal in Expert Class long barrel sharp shooting.  

Alberta firefighters receive enhanced WCB cancer coverage
 

List of cancers eligible for coverage among the best in Canada

Calgary... Alberta’s firefighters have more work-related coverage than ever before now that four more cancers are being added to the list of cancers with presumptive WCB coverage.

The four cancers added to the presumptive coverage list are prostate, breast, skin and multiple myeloma, bringing the total to 14. If a firefighter is diagnosed with these, or any of the other 10 cancers on the list, and the firefighter meets the exposure criteria, the cancer is presumed to be work related.

“Our firefighters dedicate their careers to protecting us,” said Minister Thomas Lukaszuk, speaking to the Alberta Fire Fighters Association annual convention in Calgary. “We have an obligation to do what we can to protect them - and that’s what we’re doing. Alberta firefighters, along with those in Manitoba, now have access to the most comprehensive list of presumptive cancers in all of Canada.”

Although there are many factors that can contribute to the risk of contracting cancer, firefighters are at greater risk than the general public of being exposed to a variety of toxic or cancer-causing agents when they approach burning buildings. In May 2010, esophageal and testicular cancer were added to the list of cancers considered to be “presumptive” or presumed to be work related without requiring proof.

WCB-Alberta provides compensation to all covered workers if they are injured or contract an illness as a result of work.  More information on WCB presumptive coverage of cancers for firefighters can be found online at: wcb.ab.ca/pdfs/workers/WFS_Firefighters_with_cancer.pdf

The Alberta government is working to build a better Alberta by fostering economic growth, strengthening our health and education systems, investing in infrastructure, supporting safe and strong communities and ensuring a clean and healthy environment.