Sundre's own Ross Clews was presented with an exemplary service award recognizing his service as a volunteer firefighter in Canada for 27 years.
He was presented with the award at a ceremony in Calgary in May, along with other long-serving Canadian firefighters.
He started volunteering as a firefighter when he was 18 and served on the Onoway Fire Department from 1983 to 1989.
After moving to Swan Hills in 1989, he joined the fire department there and served until 1998.
He moved to Sundre in 1998 and joined the Sundre Fire Department. He retired from the department in 2010 when his wife Annette was sworn in as mayor.
He said he is pleased to have received the award.
During his time as a firefighter he was heavily involved in vehicle extrication training. He is also a fire service instructor so he can teach fire courses through Lakeland College, he said.
When he was on the Swan Hills Fire Department in 1996, the team placed second in the World Firefighters Games for vehicle extrication. In 1998, they took third place in North America for the Can-Am Police-Fire Games.
He was also captain of the Sundre Fire Department when the team went to two international competitions.
He has received at least six innovation awards for developing tools or techniques, he added.
“It's always been camaraderie and training and helping,” said Clews.
He is turning 50 this year and works for Shell Canada. He enjoys the outdoors and being involved with the Sundre Fish and Game Association and the Sundre Legion.
