Hargrave’s sterling example of community service should be admired

By Medicine Hat News Opinon on October 26, 2017.

It has been an awful year in Cypress County.

The death of a volunteer firefighter and active young rancher last week comes after a bovine TB outbreak, a summer of drought and two major prairie fires in the last month.

James Hargrave, 34, died while responding to a wind-whipped fire that crossed the provincial boundary northeast of Medicine Hat on Oct. 17.

On a grid road south of Burstall, Hargrave and two others were preparing to mop up operations when the fire roared up again.

Bugging out quickly in heavy smoke and wind, it appears that the water truck Hargrave was driving rolled into a step ditch.

In the fray it seems impossible that anything could be done for him.

Hargrave perished and another rancher in the convoy became similarly stuck, only surviving by crawling across a burning ground.

It is an awful tale made worse by Hargrave’s circumstances as a young father, conservationist, beef-industry delegate and community booster.

Over the years, Hargrave was a valuable source of information and comment for the Medicine Hat News on a range of issues, including a federal sage grouse protection order, land stewardship, property rights and rural life.

These are topics that are dearly important to people in the region, but are rarely described with the down-to-earth eloquence that Hargrave brought to an often guarded discussion.

His was a strong and important voice.

And while strong in his beliefs, he was not so inflexible as to keep them from being heard by government.

He met several times to advise the agriculture minister of the opinions of southeast Albertans

At his passing, minister Oneil Carlier, the premier and local MLAs all expressed regret and condolences.

Member of Parliament Glen Motz — himself a retired policeman — announced the news last week in the House of Commons, where Hargrave’s grandfather, Bert, served this region for 12 years until 1984.

A funeral planned for Friday in Medicine Hat is believed to be the first time since 1978 that a firefighter has been laid to rest after responding to an emergency call in the region.

The death of a firefighter or any emergency worker is a tragedy that should give pause to a community.

Such volunteers operate departments throughout rural Alberta and Saskatchewan.

They, along with professional departments in the City of Medicine Hat and at the Canadian Forces Base Suffield respond to danger and have sworn a duty to limit and prevent damage, loss of life and such tragedies.

Now, tragedy has befallen a community.

Hargrave operated a fifth-generation ranch near Walsh.

Homes in Acadia Valley, Hilda and Schuler are destroyed. Farmland and equipment is burned throughout the region, from Medicine Hat to Gull Lake and Kindersley.

Most anyone with a highway address likely has a pit in their stomach.

A community meeting in Schuler on Wednesday was called to act as a gathering place, to calm fears, to come together.

Some hit hard by the fires are no doubt wondering about whether it is worth it to rebuild or continue on.

The people of southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan owe Hargrave, his family, and those like them, a debt of gratitude.

We owe it to ourselves and our communities to carry on in his example of service.

(Collin Gallant is a News reporter. To comment on this and other editorials, go to https://www.medicinehatnews.com/opinions.)