Left: Firefighter Joe Gauthier (Ret) with Mayor Sandy Bowman. Image via Mayor Sandy Bowman (right) Facebook post
Sandy Bowman calls Joe Gauthier’s career a legacy of excellence
FORT McMURRAY, AB. — A retired Fort McMurray firefighter has been awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for decades of service to his community and country.
Joe Gauthier, who joined the Fort McMurray Fire Department in 1974 as its first full-time firefighter, received the national honour in recognition of his lifelong dedication.
The medal commemorates King Charles’s ascension to the throne following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. It is awarded to Canadians whose contributions reflect values such as service, environmental responsibility, sustainability, and celebrating diversity.
Gauthier rose through the ranks over a 31-year career, retiring as a fire captain in 2002. He was twice recognized with the Governor General’s Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal, in 1990 and again in 2002.
Mayor Sandy Bowman praised Gauthier’s impact on local emergency services and his continued involvement in the community in a social media post announcing the award.
“Joe truly embodies the values reflected in this medal,” Bowman wrote. “He helped shape our emergency services, and his legacy of dedication continues to inspire.”
Even in retirement, Gauthier has remained active, supporting his fire department family and pursuing his passion for the outdoors as a trapper. He and his wife Pauline raised four children in Fort McMurray, where he is still highly regarded as a mentor and leader.
“This is a well-deserved honour for Joe and a testament to his lifelong commitment to Fort McMurray,” Bowman wrote in his post.
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