During an evening of recognition held on November 30, 2023, seven firefighters and officers, members of the Vaudreuil-Dorion Fire Department with 20 and 30 years of service respectively, were awarded the Governor General's Exemplary Service Medal.

The ceremony took place in the presence of their colleagues, family members, Vaudreuil-Dorion elected officials, including Mayor Guy Pilon, and Assistant General Manager Mélissa Côté.

The ceremony was also an opportunity to honour a total of 24 firefighters for their 5th and 10th anniversaries with the Vaudreuil-Dorion Fire Department.

This year, six recipients were awarded the Governor General's Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal. Among them are Mathieu Boutin, Steve Bellalite, Yann Giasson and Jacques Fellis, for 20 years of service, and Bernard Montpellier, John Boudreau and Stéphane Massicotte, for 30 years of service.

The Firefighters Exemplary Service Medal program, introduced in 1985, recognizes the commitment and dedication of firefighters in Canada's fire services. This distinction is awarded to firefighters who have accumulated at least 20 years of continuous service, including 10 years in a hazardous duty, without serious disciplinary action.

"Thank you, officers and firefighters. Your profession involves risks, as we have seen in the news in recent years. I would also like to thank your families, who also have to live with the hazards of your profession. You have heavy responsibilities in your hands, and on behalf of the municipal council, I salute your dedication to our citizens," emphasized Guy Pilon, Mayor of Vaudreuil-Dorion.

The evening also saw the presentation of bars to firefighters and officers of the Fire Safety Department in recognition of their 5 and 10 years of continuous service.

10 years of service: Yann Blais, Steve Calamia, Rémi Côté, Xavier Dontigny, Miguel Plourde, Marc Santerre and Joé St-Denis

5 years of service: Sassan Alborzi, Julien Beaudoin, Philippe Buteau Moisan, Serge Chartrand, Vincent Corriveau, Julien Dallaire, Carl Drapeau, Maxime Gendron, Luc Hornblower, Alex Lamarre Séguin, Maxime Lenoir, Sean O'Neil, Annie Parenteau, Nathan Piché, Philippe Richard, Émilie Rouleau and Maxime Quesnel.

Following the awarding of medals and bars, the Fire Department swore in the group by reading the oath of allegiance. The evening concluded with a new tradition, marking the departure or retirement of personnel.

"The retirement bell will be installed in both Vaudreuil-Dorion fire stations in the coming weeks. For this first year of the tradition, three retirees, including Michel Denault, François Séguin and Henri Émond, rang the bell five times each, symbolizing the firefighters' 10-5 code, indicating their availability for another call or a new assignment", explained Terry Rousseau, Director of the Vaudreuil-Dorion Fire Department.