Capt. Troy “Nipsy” Russell was among 15 honoured during Monday’s BC Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial Service.
Russell, a West Kelowna fire fighter, died September 2018 after battling occupational brain cancer for more than a year.
“Our association is formally recognizing 15 of our members who have lost their lives due to injury and illness related to their occupation,” Gord Ditchburn, president of BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Association, said in a release.
“The toxic environments we work in have been scientifically proven to increase the incidence ratio to double that of the general population, for certain cancers and coronary disease,” Ditchburn added.
READ MORE: FIRE FIGHTERS HONOURED
“It is fitting for our provincial organization to honour these members from all over the province. It helps bring awareness to the dangers which continue to exist in the occupation of fire fighting, despite technical improvements in fire fighting protective equipment.”
The other firefighters honoured in Victoria on Monday were:
Douglas Angrove, Nanaimo Local 905
James Armstrong, Richmond Local 1286
Karl Heinz Bessler, Richmond Local 1286
Tim Boutin, Trail Local 941
Robert W. Chapman, Vancouver Local 18
Richard A. Couch, Victoria Local 730
Roy Davies, Burnaby Local 323
Donald M. King, Cranbrook Local 1253
Tim Kernighan, Coquitlam Local 1782
Bryan Kongus, Richmond Local 1286
Robert H. Martens, Richmond Local 1286
Joseph Nick, Port Coquitlam Local 1941
Robert R. A. Rosenlund, Vancouver Local 18
Leslie A. Dionne, a member of Surrey union local 1271.
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