2018 King Fire and Emergency Services Honouree
After more than twenty-two years as a firefighter, Jim Wall began working for the Township of King in 2008 as their first full-time Deputy Fire Chief. Then current Fire Chief Bryan Burbidge warmly welcomed him to the team with a formal presentation to the Municipal Council. Prior to Jim’s arrival that day, Bryan had packed the council chambers with Jim’s wife, daughter, and the King Township firefighters. At that moment, Jim realized he had made the right decision to accept his new position to serve the residents of King. It felt like coming home.
Jim strongly believes in the following philosophy: remember where you came from (the past), where you are (the present), and always where you are going (the future). Staying grounded has helped Jim appreciate the amazing experiences during his fantastic journey.
King Fire and Emergency Services are actively reversing the stigma around what was known as traditional priorities; today’s have been realigned accordingly. The first priority now is education (getting out in the community, meeting residents, and being proactive); the second is enforcement (with respect to fire and safety codes), and the third is suppression (the failsafe). Fire services’ primary function continues to be protecting residents and their property, with core services focusing around education and fire prevention.
In 2011, Jim was the recipient of the Paul Jackson Award. This was created by both Paul’s family and the fire service in 2009 after Paul, a training officer, passed away in June 2008. This award is given annually to a fire department staff member who exemplifies the values, dedication, and commitment that Paul Jackson demonstrated.
Over the years, Jim has met many generous people who exemplify the gift of giving. He’s confident that we all have a huge capacity to give more than what we think is possible. Jim recalls an invaluable message that former Fire Chief Bruce Jessop (deceased) often imparted to him and others: your family always comes first, your job is second, and the fire department is third. Maintaining this work-life balance enables firefighters to get involved and reassures aspiring firefighters that it’s attainable. Jim encourages all citizens to become engaged in their community, knowing they won’t regret it.
The wellbeing for seniors in his community is another cause that resonates with Jim. There is a new safety initiative involving a product called the Guide Light. When firefighters are on in-service inspections they have been installing these lights. More education and engagement in this area, and others, is planned for the future.