Ucluelet’s municipal council took a break from their political discourse last month to honour a longstanding and steadfast local hero who’s made a profound mark on the community.
Deputy Chief Mark Fortune of Ucluelet Fire Rescue celebrated his 25th anniversary as a volunteer firefighter for the District of Ucluelet on July 20 and was recognized for his service during council’s July 30 regular meeting.
“Throughout this time, Mark has come to epitomize the qualities of service before self, dedication and community spirit. Mark, your ability to lead and mentor less experienced firefighters, unwavering commitment and selfless service have not gone unnoticed. You are a true hero in every sense of the word,” mayor Marilyn McEwen said at the start of the meeting. “As we celebrate this milestone, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your service. Your contributions have made Ucluelet a safer place to live and for that we are eternally grateful.”
Ucluelet Fire Chief Rick Geddes told the Westerly News Fortune has been an invaluable mentor and leader for the fire crew.
“He’s probably our biggest role model I would say. When we have new members I always like to really make sure they get to know him well because he just has so much knowledge in so many areas, not just firefighting but life skills and how to handle situations. He’s just a good guy,” Geddes said.
“He’s got an amazing presence about him…In the fire service we have to make timely decisions often and he’s a master of that. He’s also a master of thinking things through and knowing when we have to make a decision right now and go with it or when we need to stop and think things through. He’s just a calming presence to have and a mentor to so many people, including myself.”
Geddes said Fortune was a key reason he ended up moving to Ucluelet from Port Alberni to become the community’s first full-time paid fire chief in 2019. He said both he and Fortune were involved with the B.C. Ambulance Service when Geddes was in Alberni and Fortune was on the West Coast. He added both were “heavily involved” with the Occupational Health and Safety Committee and shared the common thread of each being volunteer Deputy Fire Chiefs in their towns as well.
“He was a big reason I was interested in working here,” Geddes said.
“The more I got to know him, the more interested I was in the opportunity of being able to move to Ucluelet and have a person like him as my right hand person…He’s amazing.”
He added the staunch longevity of Fortune’s service reflects his solid character, adding that while Uclulet has had several volunteers reach the 25-year milestone in its history, it’s become much less common.
“You just don’t see that in this day and age anymore. It’s so tough to do. Not a lot of people are able to because of life and work and other things. Mark’s done a huge job and an amazing job being able to prioritize the fire department,” he said.
“People get burned out, whereas he doesn’t and I think a lot of that is because of his level head. He thinks everything through and doesn’t get stressed over things. That’s done a lot for his longevity I think.”
He added recognizing local volunteers is “hugely important” and touted council for their support of Ucluelet Fire Rescue.
“Council is so supportive of the department, the volunteers and myself. So, any chance we can get in front of them and have them acknowledge what the volunteers do just adds another level of importance to it and how valued volunteers are in the municipality,” he said.
