October 13, 2015
Napanee Fire Chief retires after 35 years in the service
By Heather Senoran, CKWS Newswatch
October 13, 2015 06:09 pm
Link to article: Napanee Fire Chief retires after 35 years in the service
AFTER MORE THAN 3 DECADES –NAPANEE’S FIRE CHIEF AND GENERAL MANAGER OF EMERGENCY SERVICES IS CALLING IT QUITS. TERRY GERVAIS ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT THIS WEEK… SAYING IT’S TIME FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO TAKE THE REIGNS. NEWSWATCH’S HEATHER SENORAN HAS MORE.
TERRY GERVAIS CAN PIN POINT THE EXACT MOMENT HIS PASSION FOR BEING IN THE FIRE SERVICES IGNITED… IT WAS FEBRUARY 1980.
“I MEAN, THE FIRST MINUTE I WALKED INTO A FIRE HALL… I WAS HOOKED. I KNEW THAT’S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE A CAREER OUT OF MY LIFE.”
AND SO HE DID. BUT AFTER 35 YEARS DOING HIS DREAM JOB…THE GENERAL MANAGER AND FIRE CHIEF OF GREATER NAPANEE’S EMERGENCY SERVICES, HAS ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT. HE STARTED HIS CAREER AS A VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTER IN THE FORMER KINGSTON TOWNSHIP. HE WAS THEN STATIONED AT FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN GUELPH AND OTTAWA.
“IN THE YEARS LEADING UP TO HIS CHOICE TO HANG UP HIS FIRE HELMET FOR GOOD — GERVAIS SAYS HE KNEW RETIREMENT WASN’T TOO FAR AWAY… HOWEVER, AFTER A CLOSE CALL INCIDENT WITH ONE OF HIS FIRE FIGHTERS LAST YEAR… IT TRIGGERED HIS DECISION TO COME SOONER.”
“AT THE TIME IT WAS JUST THAT PHONE CALL YOU NEVER WANT TO GET, AS A FIRE CHIEF. YOU NEVER WANT TO GET THAT PHONE CALL THAT ONE OF YOUR PEOPLE HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT. I KNEW, AFTER GOING THROUGH THAT… IT WAS TIME.”
THOSE WHO WORKED UNDER HIM SAY GERVAIS WILL BE REMEMBERED AS A GREAT CHIEF WHO WAS PERSONABLE AND COMPASSIONATE.
“HE’S VERY APPROACHABLE. HE’S BEEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE A LONG TIME NOW. HE’S SEEN ALL ASPECTS OF IT. HE’S A GREAT MENTOR. HE’S A GREAT PERSON TO WORK WITH.”
GERVAIS CALLS THE FIRE TEAM IN NAPANEE HIS ‘SECOND FAMILY’… BUT HIS DEMANDING WORK SCHEDULE OFTEN MEANT HIS FAMILY AT HOME TOOK THE BACK SEAT.
“IT’S A BIG PART OF IT. TO FINALLY MAKE MY FAMILY MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.”
AT 55 YEARS YOUNG, GERVAIS WILL SERVE HIS LAST DAY AS FIRE CHIEF AND GENERAL MANAGER IN MARCH OF 2016… JUST IN TIME FOR BIRTH OF HIS FIRST GRANDCHILD. HE PLANS TO SPEND HIS POST-RETIREMENT LIFE RELAXING AND TRAVELLING… AND MAYBE HE CAN FINALLY GET AROUND TO THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT WERE PUT ON THE BACK BURNER.
“THAT ‘HONEY DO’ LIST!”