The Citizen, 1995-06-07, Page 23Page 11
-- Brussels Fire Department 1903 - 1995 --
Fire — controlled it can be a
source of warmth, a thing of beau-
ty, but raging out of control it is at
the least unpleasant and its worst
terrifying. It almost certainly
always causes damage and often
mean loss of some type or another.
When Gordon (Doc) Stephenson
retired from the Brussels Fire
Department after 38 years, in 1983
he was interviewed for a local
paper.
In the story he recalled the chal-
lenge of fighting fires and winning,
then poignantly recallei the times
he had lost the battle against this
fierce opponent.
In his 38 years with the fire
department, he had fought many
fires in the village. The ones he
remembered with the most clarity,
however, were the three that
claimed lives. "I was acting fire
chief when three small boys died,"
Doc told The Expositor. "The other
fires claimed the lives of two elder-
ly sisters and the mother of three
children. These are the worst fires.
They really stick in your mind."
The Expositor wrote "Doc shud-
ders when he thinks of the three
boys who died. Their mother tried
to rescue them. She had taken the
boys to a second storey window.
She lifted the window and was
sucked out of the house. The boys
didn't have chance'."
He warned anyone trapped in a
house during a fire to grab anything
Other fires in Brussels recalled
by local residents include Cal
Krauter's Plumbing and Heating,
which was gutted twice, the 5¢ to
$1 store, Bob Krugeman's furni-
and smash the window out. "Never
lift it. I always start sweating when
I know there is a person in a burn-
ing house."
ture store, St. John's Anglican
Church and Phiefer's barn, where
Pete Cardiff carried water in buck-
ets to extinguish cinders on the
barn roof.
WRUSSELS
VARIETY
Congratulations to the
Brussels Fire Department for
their years of service to
Brussels & area.
Brussels 887-6224
Congratulations to the new
Brussels Fire Hall
from
CENTRA DOOR
NORTH
Supplier and installation
of the overhead doors and
electric openers
519-335-6366
Fax 519-335-6563
FORDWICH Jim Horrigan
Congratulations
It was our pleasure to be a
contractor for the new
Brussels Fire Hall.
John McKercher
Construction Ltd.
R.R. #2 Bluevale 887-9061
Congratulations
to the
Brussels Fire Department
on the opening of the
new fire hail
TAKING THEIR LEAVE
1988 saw two long-time members, including a former Chief, retiring. Jack McWhirter, left,
and Bill Wheeler were honoured at a special evening by their fellow firefighters. With them
are their wives, Kathleen McWhirter and Dolores Wheeler.
AS THEY WERE
Members of the Brussels Fire Department, circa 1975, had their picture taken following a
first aid course. Back row, from left: John Pennington, Jack McWhirter, Gordon Stephenson,
Bob Richmond, Murray Lowe, Howard Bernard. Front: instructor, Reg O'Hagen from
Wingham, Bill Wheeler, Dale Machan, Dave Hastings, Bill King and instructor Dave
Corruthers also from Wingham
Recalling times of tragedy
Local business frequent victims
Congratulations to the
Brussels Fire Department
attic Dar-rings
Halr StuctloC4
Hairstyling for men and women
Call Karen
477 Turnberry St. N. Brussels 887-6942