Port Hope officials say the flags at town hall were lowered Wednesday and will remain that way throughout the weekend to honour former fire chief Frank Haylow, who died March 31. A celebration of life will be held on Sunday.
“Chief Haylow dedicated over four decades of his life to fire service and public safety, serving the Port Hope community as fire chief from 2003 to 2008,” a statement from the municipality read. He was Port Hope’s first full-time fire chief upon amalgamation.
“We extend our deepest condolences to Chief Haylow’s family, friends and colleagues. We are grateful for his many years of dedicated service to Port Hope and his impact on our community.”
Haylow grew up and raised his family in Stouffville and finally settled in the community of Garden Hill, just north of Port Hope, according to his obituary.
He started his career with the fire service in 1973, first with York Fire, then with the Town of Markham. In 1987, he took a position with the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office as a supervisor until 2003. In 2003, when Port Hope amalgamated, he proudly accepted the role as their first full-time fire chief until his retirement in 2008.
Harlow came out of retirement in 2009 to work as the part-time fire chief in Stone Mills before retiring permanently in 2015.
A celebration of life will be held Sunday at the Port Hope Lions Club banquet and meeting facility at 29 Thomas St. from 1 to 4 p.m.