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K c ~. retire from Embro Fire Service _i > _ _ paks C M aen es (arerioesih 1 â€"â€"~__ JOHN TAPLEY Shewan, whose twin brother, Don, folâ€" One of the biggest changes, he said, %flifiifii‘g s i For the Sentinelâ€"Review lowed in his footsteps and became a . has been the increase in training for and |___ g&»"“&g‘ Bs firefighter in 1952 and worked his way _ response to medical emergencies. in oc sls 9E it { ~ C *__ EMBRO â€" With more than a century of up to serve as chief. Born and raised in Embro, MathesOn EY for the Sentinelâ€"Review experience between them, Deputy Chief Ron said he also enjoyed working _ said helping the community is what he ~ Al MatheS$n and Capt. Ron Shewan â€" alongside his brother and helping bring _ enjoyed most about being a firefighter. two â€"of the longest serving members of _ about the purchase of upâ€"toâ€"date trucks _ Both Matheson and Shewan said the Embro Fire Service â€" have headed _ and equipment over the years. one of the highlights of their careers into retirement. s P Shewan said he is going to miss being â€" occurred within the last decade, with Fellow firefighters, friends and family, _ a firefighter. _ + © the successful rescue of a worker the Township of Zorra and the Ontario "It‘s a tough day," he said. "I had a trapped inside a silo at the Federal Fire Marshal‘s Office honoured the men _ good time." White Cement plant. during an open house at the Embro Matheson said he became a fireâ€" Both men also gave a lot of credit West Zorra Community Centre Sunday. _ fighter in 1971 after he bought the vilâ€" _ to their families for the sacrifices they A lifeâ€"long resident of Embro, Shewan _ lage grocery store and the chief invited â€" made along the way. joined the fire department in 1948 â€" _ him to join. * f "There wasn‘t a call go by that my just six years after it was established â€" _ "Every kid wanted to be a firefighter â€" wife, Anne, didn‘tcome to the door with because he lived close to the firehall. _â€" when I was growing up," he said. "I _ my coat, hat and boots ready to go," _At the time, the department had only _ didn‘t know what I was getting into." Matheson said. "She was used to runâ€" one truck, a 1942 Chevrolet that had a Being a volunteer firefighter turned â€" ning to the phone when I was getting soda acid system to pressurize the water â€" out to be a good fit, he said. â€"dressed." & it carried, Â¥ "You make a lot of friends, and I was Even without the responsibility of Back then, firefighters had "fire â€" always around since L owned a business | handling incoming fire calls, firefightâ€" phones" in their homes. When someâ€" â€" ih town," Matheson said. 1â€"ers‘ wives still turn out with food and one dialed the fire department for Fire phones were still in use when he ; coffee whenever there is a major inciâ€" help, a firefighter or their wife would joined. \_ _ dent Matheson said. > answer. Taking down the information, _ "All the wives got to be the dispatchâ€" | He said he wouldn‘t change anything they flipped a switch on the side of the ers back then," he said, pointing out _ about his experiences as a firefighter. phone to set off the fire siren on top of â€" that, with 10 fire phones in the village, "Council has always been good to the town hall, alerting other firefighters firefighters had to take turns stayâ€" _ support us," he said. "If there was a to respond to the fire hall. ing home on weekends to ensure calls _ need for better equipment, there was There was no bunker gear in those â€" would be answered. better equipment. We always had the days. Firefighters wore rubber boots "If you were going away, you had to | pest" ; that could be pulled up to their hips, * make sure one of the other firefighters Being a volunteer firefighter in a heavy black coats and helmets made of _ was going to be home," Matheson said. community like Embro has been about fibre. ¢ From there, pagers and a central disâ€" more than responding to emergencies. Shewan said helping people is what patching system were implemented. Shewan and Matheson and their fellow _ he enjoyed most about being a volunâ€" _ Both Matheson and Shewan said they firefighters have done a lot to support _ teer firefighter and why he stuck with it â€" have seen huge changes in equipment, _ the community in other ways, including | for the better part of seven decades. technology and methods during their _ helping out with local events and raisâ€" "Being able to help somebody who _ careers. _ ing money for various causes. . 5 is in trouble and knowing that you > ~"I‘s changing all the time," Matheson _ |~ _ "The fire department is there to help could help (was the best part of it)," said . said. 5* . #€. â€" 3 meib 6&f/Z. ’ out the community any way it can," L Tentamecad wâ€"â€" m as censtrrermenstocsine omomiennntine ies frsge d e t Matheson said. o