STAY CONNECTED: Have the stories that matter most delivered every night to your email inbox. Subscribe to our daily local news wrap.
Photo courtesy County of Grande Prairie
By Erika Rolling
Awards

County recognizes new members and outstanding protective services at joint awards ceremony

Oct 17, 2022 | 11:17 AM

Last Thursday night, the County of Grande Prairie recognized and celebrated their Regional Fire Service and Regional Enforcement Services members with a graduation and service award ceremony.

There was a large number of members in attendance due to cancellations and offset for 3 years.

Significant career achievements, special peer recognition, years of service, as well as provincial and federal milestones of service were presented on the night.

The Regional Fire Service had seventeen recent graduates officially sworn in by County Reeve Leanne Beaupre along with a formal welcome to the service.

Superintendent and Manager of Enforcement Services Stuart Rempel was honoured at the awards ceremony, receiving his 30 years Rosette for Alberta Peace Officer Long Service Recognition and 22 and 32-year Service Bars by Alberta Emergency Services.

Superintendent Stuart Rempel

Rempel says it wasn’t all about him, there were lots of other members with notable achievements.

“The best for us was with Clarence Wesloski (Peace Officer), and he got the St. Johns Ambulance Lifesaving Award, which is really cool!”

Rempel says Wesloski got the award for going above and beyond for saving a life.

He says Wesloski was on patrol early in the morning and found a vehicle down a side road where someone was in need of medical attention when he applied first aid measures to stabilize and save the person, who ended up living thanks to his actions.

“He put the suit on, he masked up and he went straight in… that’s why he got that award for an amazing job,” Rempel says.

He spoke of his own achievements saying, “sometimes you just need that little reminder that you’ve been there, done that… but you’re also still making a difference.”

Rempel said his favourite experience of the night was the swearing-in of the new firefighters, as he started out as one back in 1983. In his opening speech, he said, “I was right where you were 39 years ago, and built a career around it, so keep going.”

Fire Chief of Regional Fire Services, Dan Verdun got to have his send off from the County as well, to go to Vancouver Island.

A full list of all the recipients are below:

Regional Fire Service

Federal Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal

  • Deputy Fire Chief Bart Johnson – 40 years.
  • Firefighter Ikuho Wakuda – 20 years.

Alberta Emergency Services Medal and Service Bars

  • Fire Chief Daniel Verdun – 12-year service medal.
  • Fire Marshall Ken Atamanchuk – 22-year service bar.
  • Captain Michael Shykora – 22-year service bar.
  • Captain Brian Ball – 12-year service medal.
  • Captain Tyler Choboter – 12-year service medal.
  • Captain Douglas Porterfield – 12-year service medal.
  • Firefighter Jordan Bradshaw – 12-year service medal.
  • Firefighter Dustin Donnelly-Kent – 12-year service medal.
  • Firefighter Kody Gerein – 12-year service medal.
  • Firefighter Adam Heslop – 12-year service medal.
  • Firefighter Kevin LeBlanc – 12-year service medal.
  • Firefighter John Lindberg – 12-year service medal.
  • Firefighter Matthew Pequeno – 12-year service medal.
  • Firefighter Robyn Prevost – 12-year service medal.
  • Firefighter Jeremy Pohr – 12-year service medal.
  • Firefighter Matthew Remillard – 12-year service medal.
  • Firefighter Travis Skrepnek – 12-year service medal.

Chiefs Coins

  • District Chief Matt Smith
  • Captain Brian Ball
  • Captain Marc Leger
  • Firefighter Ryon Hemingson
  • Firefighter Tracay Depew
  • Firefighter Ryan Evens
  • Firefighter Nicky Hemingson
  • Firefighter Josh LeBarron
  • Firefighter Matt McKinnon
  • Firefighter Scott Smith
  • Firefighter Logan Quebec-Stacey
  • Community Foundation for the County of Grande Prairie Firefighters

15 Years of Service

  • Captain Harold Bulford

10 Years of Service

  • Captain Tyler Choboter
  • Firefighter Matt Bauer
  • Firefighter Gordon Ford
  • Firefighter Mitch Mann
  • Firefighter Kyle Tremblay
  • Firefighter Kurt Schleiter
  • Firefighter Adam Stone
  • Firefighter Jordan Storey

5 Years of Service

  • Deputy Fire Chief Bart Johnson
  • District Fire Chief Matt Smith
  • Captain Pat McLauglin
  • Lawrence Phillips
  • Firefighter Brandon Bulford
  • Firefighter Johnathan Hoag
  • Firefighter Mike Hunter
  • Firefighter Joshua LeBarron
  • Firefighter Justin Reed

Firefighter Graduates

  • Lewis Biamonte
  • Clint Boychuk
  • Madison Bulford
  • Jacob Clark
  • Alden Dixon
  • Ryan Falk
  • Steve Freeman
  • Alex Hamilton
  • Nicky Hemingson
  • Ryon Hemingson
  • Andrew Hucul
  • Danelle Moody
  • Mike Moon
  • Katia Outerleys
  • Ryan Robertson
  • Logan Quebec-Stacey
  • April Stuckey

Regional Enforcement Services

Alberta Peace Officer Long Service Recognition Medal and Rosettes

  • Superintendent Stuart Rempel – 30 years – Rosette.
  • Peace Officer Sergeant Stuart Fry – 30 years – Rosette.
  • Deputy Fire Chief Jason Nesbitt – 20 years.

Alberta Emergency Services Medal and Service Bars

  • Retired Sergeant Dave Campbell – 12-year service medal and 22-, 32- and 40-year service bars.
  • Superintendent Stuart Rempel – 22- and 32-year service bars.
  • Peace Officer Sergeant Stuart Fry – 22-year service bar.
  • Peace Officer Sergeant Kim Donecz – 12-year service medal.
  • Peace Officer Lindsey Hennigar – 12-year service medal.
  • Bylaw Enforcement Officer Colton Renschler – 12-year service medal.

St. Johns Ambulance Lifesaving Award

  • Peace Officer Clarence Wesloski

10 Years of Service

  • Bylaw Enforcement Officer Colton Renschler
by Erika Rolling