Fire Service Awards

Description

The Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal was created by a Letters Patent signed by the Queen on August 29, 1985. The design of the Medal incorporates crossed axes, a hydrant and a stylized Maltese Cross, an internationally recognized symbol of the fire prevention community. The Bar to the Medal consists of a plain bar with a stylized maple leaf centred. The Medal is administered by the Chancellery of Canadian Orders and Decorations in Ottawa. The federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions recommend eligible and deserving members of the Fire Services to the Chancellery. Awards are made on behalf of the Sovereign, by Instruments signed by the Governor General and are announced in the Canada Gazette. Engraved medals and certificates of award are forwarded to the nominating authority for formal presentation on behalf of the Governor General.

Who is Eligible

A person may be awarded the medal if that person:

(a) is a member of the fire service on or after August 29th, 1985;

(b) has completed twenty years as a member of the fire service, where that service is of such good standard as to warrant an award.

Note: The Governor General, on advice from his ministers, by virtue of the authority vested in him by the Regulations governing the award of the Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal (FSESM), has agreed that firefighters who retired before 29 August 1985, could apply for the FSESM.

A person who has been awarded the Medal is eligible to be awarded a Bar in respect of each additional ten-year period of service in the fire services of Canada, after the twenty-year period in respect of which he was awarded the Medal, if that service is of such good standard as to warrant an award.

If the nomination is for the fire chief, the nominating authority must be the person the fire chief reports to such as the mayor or chief administrative officer of their village, town, district or city. Self nominations will not be accepted.

Nomination Process

1. The nomination form is available from the Office of the Fire Commissioner or you can download an electronic nomination form from the Governer General of Canda website. Note, while you can fill in the electronic form at your computer, you still need to print and sign the completed form.
2. If more than one fire fighter is eligible for an award, you can fill out one official nomination form and add the other names using the Additional Names Form.
3. Send completed forms to the Office of the Fire Commissioner in Victoria.

Recipients of the Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal may purchase miniatures for non-uniform dress wear. For further information on this medal, contact the Office of the Fire Commissioner in Victoria.

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