Jennifer Hall video – (with transcript)

To me, the Honour Guard is here to represent the Calgary Fire Department and public events locally. As well, internally within the Calgary Fire Department. But it’s also here to represent the Calgary Fire Department on a municipal, federal and international stage as a well disciplined, well organised leader in Fire Services

Why did you join the Honour Guard?

I’ve always wanted to be part of the Honour Guard, ever since I went to fire school in 2004. It holds special meaning to me because.. Number one, my Granddad served in World War Two as part of the British infantry. And the second reason is because my fire service instructor from Fire Etc was diagnosed with presumptive cancer, and passed away a few short years after I graduated. He taught me all of the valuable lessons about what it means to be a part of a Fire Department. The values, the culture, the community, that all of this represents.

How did participating in the Honour Guard affect you?

Sometimes I walk away from events and there’s a lot of reflection that goes into my day. At every event, there’s an immense source of pride in, not just what we’ve done that particular day, but in what we do every single day when we come to work, and we attend other people’s emergencies. Otherwise, there’s a huge sense of camaraderie and teamwork that goes with being a part of the Honour Guard. Those are the ways that it affects me, and we always have fun no matter where we go or what we’re doing.

Tell me about a specific event or ceremony that holds special meaning to you?

There’s a few, there’s a few that I’ve attended. Obviously, Randy’s funeral was very emotional for a lot of us because he holds such a significant role in so many students’ lives, at a point in time where they’re just making their career decisions, right. They’re young adults making big decisions for the rest of their lives, and when you’re teaching kids values and morals and ethics, and how to deal with the community and the public, and how to be honourable and respectful, and have integrity, those things are big issues, big topics, they’re big feelings. So attending his funeral was quite moving for us. (4:25) Remembrance Day is another one, like so many of us on the Honour Guard would say. For me again, that just goes back to honouring my Granddad, and his service in the Second World War and throughout the British Infantry. And then one event that I was quite honoured to be able to participate in was Ralph Klein’s funeral a couple years ago. He’s just one of those men in Alberta that, regardless as to how you feel about the man and some of his decisions, he was a true Albertan and he stood up for Alberta, and its rights, and our presence on the world stage and on the federal stage. He was an honest man, and he always spoke his mind, regardless as to whether you liked what he said, how he said it. Those are just things that I hold near, dear to my heart. So, it was particularly special to be able to serve him on his last day.

So, there were a lot of us travelling up to Edmonton earlier on this year, and before show time we’re all just normal. We’re all ourselves. We’re not necessarily how we would be at the station in front of a Chief, or in front of other Captains. And sometimes, we don’t always have the appropriate facilities to change before show time. So, this one particular event we were attending, we basically all had to change in the bus as it was it rolling down the highway, and there’s shirts flying, and make up bags here and there. There was probably more skin to be shown than what would have been professionally acceptable on the floor. But we’re all family in those events, and we all know that the greater good is that we all look presentable, that we’re on time, that we are professional and ready to go when show time happens. It’s just a much more relaxed environment, even compared to being in the halls.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I just, I love the camaraderie that the Honour Guard has, and that it represents. I don’t like to play the female card, but being the first female on the Calgary Fire Department Honour Guard is an honour over and above just being part of it in general. The guys are incredibly welcoming, I’m always a part of the team, I’m no different than anybody else. There’s lots of jokes that go around about being the first female, or about being a female in general. They all know that I have a very thick skin to deal with that, but they’re just wonderful guys. And they’re so passionate, and dedicated to representing this department in a professional manner with the highest amount of integrity, and poise, whenever we are out. It’s truly just an honour to be a part of that group.