Firemen salute volunteer fighter killed in training

Hundreds of firefighters and emergency service workers from Canada and the United States lined the streets of a small Ontario village Friday, to honour a volunteer firefighter who died in a training exercise.

Gary Kendall, 51, was a member of the Point Edward Fire Department, in the village near Sarnia.

He died after he was trapped under a sheet of ice during a water training exercise Sunday.

'Despite what you would think about the loss of a veteran leader, Gary's departure has not shattered our department.' —Doug Booth, volunteer firefighter

Fellow volunteer firefighters pulled him to safety, but Kendall later died at Bluewater Health hospital.

An estimated 1,200 mourners gathered for the funeral service at a local hotel in the village of just 2,000 residents.

Doug Booth, also a volunteer with the force, shared a locker with Kendall, and said that while he is personally shattered by the death of his friend, the fire department has pulled together.

"Despite what you would think about the loss of a veteran leader, Gary's departure has not shattered our department," Booth told mourners.

"We have taken the hit that none of us ever want to take, and have rallied at Gary's memory. Gary's sense of priority, passion and perfection has never been shown more significantly than this week."

Kendall's casket was placed on top of one of the Point Edward Fire trucks, and driven through the streets of Point Edward with an honour guard of firefighters from across Ontario, Michigan and Ohio.

Volunteer firefighter Kevin Devine, also from the Point Edward service, said it reminded him how Kendall took him under his wing when he first joined the fire department.

"Gary and I were riding on the tailboard of the old number one pumper and he would check my safety belt every kilometer to make sure it was fastened correctly and would shout to me 'Kevo! Just stay with me. Don't leave my side until we get there',"said Devine.

Kendall was a 17-year veteran of the fire department, who twice won the Fire Chief's Award for displaying exemplary compassion towards another human life through an act of unselfish contribution above and beyond the call of duty.

Kendall was also awarded the Life Saving Medal for his service on the force.

Point Edward's fire department has 32 members, all are volunteers except the chief and fire prevention officer.

Kendall leaves behind a wife and three children.

The Ontario Provincial Police Lambton crime unit and forensic identification unit are investigating Kendall's death.