To the members of Local 1552;

This year we honour 3 brothers who have died in the line of Duty.

Brother Paul Killingbeck died of lung cancer on June 6^th, 1987, leaving behind a widow and 2 children.  Paul started with the BFD on July 1^st 1965 serving in suppression and in Fire Prevention. He was an avid Hockey Coach and fan. After the McGuinty government introduced presumptive legislation to this province his case was reviewed at the request of Local 1552 and subsequently approved.

Brother Mike Kaatz passed away on April 25^th of 2007. Mike started as a Firefighter with the Department on September 3^rd, 1996 proudly serving most of his career at station # 2. He worked diligently at his job and was among the most conscientious of Firefighters.  Mike’s death was deemed work related by WSIB.

On August 24^th, 2007 Brother Wayne Topping passed away while representing our department at an auto-extrication challenge in Indianapolis Indiana. Wayne began his career in Burlington on May 8^th, 2000, part of this city’s largest class to-date.  Wayne too was conscientious and always there to lend a hand.

We are proud to have represented the survivors of these three brothers and thank the OPFFA (specifically Colin Grieve and Paul Atkinson) for their guidance and assistance and brother Dennis Hayes for his WSIB work which proved integral to the findings.

We are equally honoured, as are the families, to have their names go on the monuments at Queen’s Park and at the IAFF memorial in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They are all also being recognized by the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation in Ottawa,

We ask that you attend the Toronto Memorial, immortalizing these brothers forever on the grounds of Queens Park.  For more information on the Toronto memorial, the IAFF memorial or the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundations please visit the following websites:

www.iaff.org,

www.opffa.org,

www.cfff.ca