After years of fundraising and planning, the Whitby Professional Fire Fighters’ Association will unveil a fallen fire fighter memorial later this year.
The design features a bronze fire fighter kneeling before a wall engraved with the names of fallen members, a powerful symbol of respect and remembrance for those who died as a result of the job.
Planned for installation in a park behind Whitby Town Hall, the site offers a quiet, open space for reflection. It will honor seven members of the department whose line-of-duty deaths were cancer-related.
“Whether it’s the equipment we wear or the fires we go into, it’s giving us cancer,” said Local 2036 President Jonathan Friel.
For Friel and Local 2036, honoring fallen members extends beyond remembrance. Day to day, the focus remains on member health and safety, and reducing the risks that lead to occupational illness. That work includes moving toward PFAS-free gear and stations, along with policies for safer use of current equipment.
Beyond Whitby, memorials like this resonate across the fire service.
According to 13th District Vice President Fred LeBlanc, they reflect the union’s commitment to its members and help younger fire fighters understand the risks of the job and the sacrifices of those who came before them. “Recognizing what killed our members is a powerful lesson, not just for the Local, but for the community and for every fire fighter who follows,” LeBlanc said.
“It’s important for new members to know who came before them,” Friel said. “These are the people who paved the way for safer working conditions.”
The project carries deep emotional weight for those involved.
It’s important for new members to know who came before them. These are the people who paved the way for safer working conditions.
Local 2036 President Jonathan Friel
“It’s an incredible thing to be part of,” Friel added. “We’ll be the first Local in our region to have a memorial like this. Being president during its unveiling is something that will always be part of my legacy.”
The unveiling coincides with the department’s 175th anniversary – a milestone that reflects a history older than Canada itself. With the support of a heritage grant, the memorial will include interpretive panels that tell the story of Whitby Fire & Emergency Services. Educational components on health, safety and exposure risks will help the public better understand the realities of the job, and bios of each fallen member will ensure their stories are preserved and can be added to over time.
Looking ahead, Friel hopes members continue carrying its values forward into the next 50 years.
“I hope we stay a family. That people feel safe and supported at work,” he said. “Strengthening health and safety so we can put fewer names on those walls is the most important thing we can do.”
