Hundreds of firefighters from across the region were in Fredericton on Monday to honour retired firefighter Robert Barryman, who passed away last week after a long battle with occupational cancer.
“He was one of those firefighters that the other, younger ones would always go to,” said Assistant Deputy Chief David McKinley of the Fredericton Fire Department. “He was a very experienced man, he had been around,seen it all.”
Barryman was a 35-year veteran firefighter who had retired only three years ago.
“He came to work every day, gave us everything he had, and its real shame he didn’t get to enjoy his retirement,” said firefighter Evan Gilks.
Berryman's battle with cancer is being recognized as a line-of-duty death. Legislation in New Brunswick acknowledges the greater cancer risk firefighters can be exposed to.
McKinley says it’s the first occupational cancer line-of-duty death in Fredericton.
“Firefighters have a much higher incidence of lung cancer, throat cancer, emphysema and whatnot,” said McKinley.
“The presumptive legislation covers us for a certain amount of time depending on the cancer, so I think it will bring some awareness to the issue,” said Gilks.
As part of protocol, a parade of firefighters led to a private departmental funeral.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Nick Moore.
