Unsung heroes of Fort McMurray wildfire recognized on Canada Day

Much has been written about the firefighters and other first responders who helped save the people of Fort McMurray from a roaring wildfire last May.

But there was an army of people working behind the scenes who haven't received much praise — until now.

The Wood Buffalo municipality will honour approximately 1,900 of those unsung heroes on Canada Day.

The wildfire nurse

Bronwynne Baatjes' first experience as a nurse was working with wildfire evacuees just days after her graduation. 

After first fleeing south to escape the flames, she and her boyfriend drove back into the devastated city to work in a clinic that was tending to wildfire evacuees who fled north.

She treated many diabetics, asthmatics, heart and seizure patients who left home without medication. She also treated a firefighter who came in with a leg infection after piece of bark penetrated his leg.

"I never ever thought I would experience something like this. It felt like we were in a movie," Baatjes said. "I got into nursing to help people. I've always put people before myself. I always felt like I needed to help people and give back to people [and] I definitely felt like I was able to do that. I was able to give back to my community that has been so good to me since moving back."

Toilet paper … an essential service

Simple things like toilet paper, soap and bedding were likely the last thing on the minds of emergency crews as they fought to save the city. That's were Joseph Mugodo, area manager of Acden Bee-Clean, stepped in.

He led the effort to ensure that the few buildings where first responders and operations staff sheltered and worked had all the essential supplies needed.

"Besides firefighters, the policemen, there were also civilians, ordinary people who were also working beside these people doing all that we can can to save this city," Mugodo said.

His role became acutely important when running water was lost to certain parts of the city and toilets didn't work. His teams cleaned crucial facilities and ensured the buildings didn't become biologically hazardous.

"We love Fort McMurray," Mugodo said. "This is our home. Because of that we did everything possible to rebuild this city and we did what we can to save this city."

'Are they okay? Did they get out?'

One of the first things Mari-Lee Paluszak did when she was safely out of Fort McMurray was make sure the city's elderly population escaped unharmed. The office administrator for the Fort McMurray Golden Years Society worried some of the most vulnerable members of the city might have been left behind. 

She spent weeks contacting over 100 seniors who were among the 80,000-plus residents who fled.

With her office files and computer left behind, Paluszak began contacting society members from whatever details she had in her email and memory. Everyone was accounted for, but for some it was a close call, Paluszak said.

"I'm thinking, 'Are they okay? Did they get out?' Because at the time you didn't know if they hadn't made it," Paluszak said.

"And there was one story from one of our seniors and she lived in Waterways; and we all know they weren't notified there was a fire. She had walked out of her house. She didn't realize what was going on and her house was on fire. When I heard that a few days later I was like, 'What if she didn't come out of her house?' "

A bomb into a fire

Michael Rose, operations supervisor for 4Refuel diesel delivery company, volunteered to stay behind and fuel up fire trucks when the fire broke out. During the evacuation, he gave his business card to a firefighter and minutes later a fire chief enlisted him and his crew during the month-long fight.

He was stationed at the fire halls, but on one occasion he was asked to go fuel up a truck in a hard-hit community while homes around him still burned.

"[One firefighter said] 'You drove a bomb into a fire.' At the time you don't think about that. You got a call and you just do what you got to do," Rose said.

"Without us, the firefighters couldn't do their job. Because if they ran out of fuel, they can't pump water and fire trucks can't run. It was essential to have those essential services. We were here from the very start to the end."

Follow David Thurton, CBC's Fort McMurray correspondent, on Facebook, Twitter or contact him via email.