Special thank-you to Wayne Bensen, for the decades of service he has provided to the Pigeon Lake region.
SPLFD Chief Wayne Benson received an Outstanding Service Award from the Summer Villages of Pigeon Lake. Shaela Dansereau/ Pipestone Flyer.
Presentation to Fire Chief Wayne Benson by Clinton Boyda, Director of Emergency Management representing all the Summer Villages of Pigeon Lake.
Wayne Benson’s Story – written by Faye Benson:
Wayne’s Birthday is April 30, 1953. He started firefighting September 1974 in Oyen and was Training Officer and Deputy Fire Chief there when we moved. He has served for 45 years last Sept. We moved to Mulhurst in 1998 and he joined the Fire Department, within 2 months he was promoted from Firefighter to Deputy Fire Chief and Training Office. He was hired as Fire Chief in 2000 by the Mulhurst Fire Department Board of Directors, and served as Mulhurst Fire Chief until 2014. In the fall of 2014 he joined SPLFD as Training Officer. February he was hired as Fire Chief of South Pigeon Lake Fire Departmetn (SPLFD) by the County of Wetaskiwin.
When we first arrived here the County Fire Departments did not respond to motor vehicle accidents. Wayne worked with Fire Chief Stew Raven to purchase Jaws and get County approval. He then set up and taught a Vehicle Extrication training. He has encouraged public relations and fund raising in the County to enable the purchase of additional fire apparatus some of which he built and or modified personally. He has worked hard with his areas to promote fire awareness and the Fire Smart program. During his time as Fire Chief, Wayne has worked diligently to improve the safety of both firefighters with improved training and the public with fire awareness, Firefighters Medical First Response, Fire search and rescue for snowmobilers and ATV/ motorbikes, Residential and urban Fire Smart programs, among many more initiatives.
Wayne has been instrumental to the emergency response capabilities we have today; including working with CAO’s to ensure they have the best fire coverage, supported the creation of a Disaster Preparedness organization, and several projects to increase firefighter moral, recruitment, and mental health. One of Wayne’s greatest accomplishments has been water safety which he has worked endlessly to initiate, promote, organize, and train for.
Also seen in the Pipestone Flyer