'What it means to be a firefighter': Scholarship established in memory of Central Saanich assistant fire chief
The Central Saanich Firefighters Association has established a scholarship in honour of Assistant Fire Chief Forrest Owens who died from cancer in his home on July 21 at the age of 64.
Owens served the peninsula community’s fire department for more than 35 years.
He started his career with the Central Saanich Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter in 1986. In his more than three-and-a-half decades of service he would become a fire captain and a career assistant fire chief.
He would continue to serve as the department’s "active-paid-call" assistant chief after retiring from his career position.
"He was a longstanding member with us and the community is grieving," said Central Saanich Fire Chief Kenn Mount.
"He was instrumental in a lot of the programs we have, from fire prevention to working with our First Nations groups, and he definitely leaves a huge void," he said.
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
In honour of Owens' long service with the fire department and his dedication to his community, the Central Saanich Volunteer Firefighters Association has established the Forrest Owens Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship will be awarded to a student from Stelly’s Secondary School to pursue a career in firefighting.
"The scholarship will provide a number of benefits to the community and it allows us to start a different approach to recruitment," said Mount.
"It's another means of working with our local young people to see what it means to become a firefighter."
In his long career with the fire department, Owens was a well-respected leader in the peninsula community. He played a key role in training Central Saanich Fire Department members and led fire prevention and inspection programs for many years.
He was also a strong advocate for mental health awareness for first responders.
"The biggest thing is the impact one person can have on his community," said Mount. "He really did this out of the goodness of his heart."
"He started from the beginning as a volunteer and it turned out to be a lifelong career and passion. It lasted 35 years and we recognize and respect that," said the fire chief.
The Central Saanich Fire Department, with the support of the District of Central Saanich Council, will be hosting a public celebration of the life and career of Owens at 1 p.m. on Aug. 14 at the Saanich Fair Grounds on Stelly’s Cross Road.
The memorial will take place in the RCMP barn located on the fairgrounds and will be livestreamed on YouTube.
Donations to the Forrest Owens Memorial Scholarship can be made by contacting the Central Saanich Volunteer Firefighters Association at csvffa@gmail.com.
"We will retire Forrest’s [fire service] number and the memorial scholarship will help us continue on with his legacy," said Mount.
Correction
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Forrest Owens died on June 21. The assistant chief died on July 21.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.