Left to right, Fire Chief Lindsay Holm, firefighters Rob Beatch and Brian Marchewka and Mayor David Gillan. (Submitted photo/City of North Battleford)

By Angela Brown

Exemplary service

Two North Battleford firefighters honoured for long service, dedication to public safety

Jul 20, 2021 | 3:31 PM

It was a proud evening for two firefighters with the North Battleford Fire Department during Monday’s city council meeting.

Mayor David Gillan presented Firefighters Rob Beatch and Brian Marchewka with awards for their long time service and dedication to the department.

Gillan thanked Beatch and Marchewka for their contributions.

Fire Chief Lindsay Holm commended both as “great, long-serving firefighters with our city.”

Holm said “exemplary” is the key word in describing both Marchewka and Beatch’s service. He said the awards not only recognize the length of service but also the level of dedication.

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Beatch received two awards. He was honoured with the 30 Year Exemplary Service Bar and the Canadian Volunteer Municipal Long Service Medal. He started with the fire department in 1990.

Holm commended Beatch for his duty, saying he does not know of a structure fire in the city that Beatch has not attended during the time Holm has been with the fire department.

“Thirty years is a long time,” he said. “Rob has done a great job for the city. One thing that really stands out to me for Rob as a firefighter is his level of dedication.”

Marchewka was honoured with the 40 Year Service Bar as a long-serving captain with the fire department.

“Again, that word ‘exemplary’ really defines what Brian’s service is like,” Holm said. “He comes to work every day, does his best every day, and really is one of the great leaders we do have at the fire station. Brian does his job with full committment, and takes on any extra roles that would be assigned to him, including trying to keep some of our firefighters safe by being an in-house breathing apparatus technician. So he looks after preparing and maintaining all our breathing apparatus.”

Marchewka started with the North Battleford fire department as a firefighter in 1980.

“I’m pretty sure Brian might be one of the only firefighters at the station who remembers the feeding schedule for the horses,” Holm said with a smile.

“I really appreciate Brian’s service. He has done a great job,” he said.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow