FILE/SUPPLIED PHOTOS Medicine Hat Fire Chief Brian Stauth and Cypress County Fire Chief Kelly Meyer has been announced as parade marshals for the 2018 Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede.
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Medicine Hat and Cypress County’s fire chiefs will be this year’s Stampede parade marshals.
Firefighting is a “profoundly important” service to the community, said Jim McArthur, general manager of the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede, about this year’s decision to have the county’s fire chief Kelly Meyer and Medicine Hat chief Brian Stauth lead the parade on July 26.
“We’re very proud of what they do, and they probably don’t get enough praise, so in our small way we can make that gesture,” said Stauth.
The decision by the board of directors came after reflecting about the past year in the region — one that was marked by devastating fires, and included the loss of volunteer firefighter James Hargrave.
Having the city and county represented also fits with the Stampede’s own mission statement of bringing urban and rural people together, said McArthur.
“(It) seemed only natural that it would be the two fire chiefs who would stand in for all firefighters,” he said. “It really did represent the urban and rural connection that over the course of last year has been so strong.”
“We’re just really pleased that we can honour the firefighters in that fashion,” said McArthur, adding that all the emergency services are important through the region.
Entries are also now being accepted for the parade, with a deadline of July 20.
