Staff of the City of West Kelowna will take part in a special Day of Mourning Ceremony on Friday, April 26 beginning at 10 a.m. at the flagpoles in front of West Kelowna Municipal Hall on Cameron Road.
This is the first day of mourning for City of West Kelowna and West Kelowna Fire Rescue staff that will commemorate the loss of one of their own. Captain Troy Russell, a 20-year West Kelowna Fire Fighter, died September 25, 2018 after a heroic battle with cancer. Capt. Russell’s death is the first line-of-duty death for West Kelowna Fire Rescue as the cancer he experienced was directly related to his work as a firefighter.
The ceremony will include addresses from Jason Brolund, West Kelowna Fire Chief, Captain Nathan Pike, Vice President of IAFF Local 4457, Stacey Harding, Chair of the City’s Joint Health and Safety Committee and Lisa Hoult, the City’s Safety Advisor. The ceremony will be followed by a moment of silence.
At approximately 10:15 a.m. a helicopter will be flying overhead as it travels to the top of Mt. Boucherie where a picnic table with a commemorative plaque in honour of Capt. Russell will be installed at the peak of the popular Mt. Boucherie Rush Trail.
The public is welcome to attend this special Day of Mourning in West Kelowna.
The event is taking place in advance of the 2019 National Day of Mourning which is Sunday, April 28.