The City of West Kelowna will commemorate the life of Captain Troy Russell on April 26.
In a special day of mourning, the public is invited to join in a memorial for the 20-year West Kelowna fire-fighter, who died in September 2018, after a lost battle with cancer.
Capt. Russell’s death is the first line-of-duty death for West Kelowna Fire Rescue as the cancer he experienced was directly related to his work as a firefighter.
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The ceremony will include addresses from West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund, Captain Nathan Pike, vice president of IAFF Local 4457, Stacey Harding, chair of the City’s Joint Health and Safety Committee and Lisa Hoult, the City’s Safety Advisor.
The ceremony will be followed by a moment of silence.
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At approximately 10:15 a.m. a helicopter will be flying overhead as it travels to the top of Mt. Boucherie where a picnic table with a commemorative plaque in honour of Capt. Russell will be installed at the peak of the popular Mt. Boucherie Rush Trail.
The event is taking place in advance of the 2019 National Day of Mourning which is Sunday, April 28. Workers, families and employers come together each year at ceremonies to remember those who have lost their lives on the job and to renew commitments to creating healthy and safe work places.
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