By Steve Hubrecht
Former Radium fire chief, Dave Dixon, was honoured recently for his decades of service.
Dixon retired as chief last December, after 32 years on the job. At a meeting of all East and West Kootenay fire chiefs on Sunday, October 23, the fire chiefs presented Dixon with a gold plated fire axe as commemoration for his time as Radium chief.
“It was a gift on behalf of all the chiefs,” said current Radium fire chief Trevor Carr. “He’s served Radium for a really long time and spent a good portion of his life on the Radium fire department.”
In fact Dixon’s service continues. He may have stepped down as fire chief, but he continues to volunteer as a firefighter with the Radium department and leads the Radium fire orientation program for the village’s newly recruited firefighters.
“He (Dixon) was chief even before Radium incorporated and became its own community…He’s seen a lot of changes in how firefighting works. I can’t even begin to list everything he’s done for the Radium fire department. He is a true asset to the community,” Carr told the Pioneer.
“This is absolutely warranted. Of course Dave deeply deserves this recognition. His service to the village has been outstanding. We’ve very grateful for everything Dave has done for Radium,” outgoing Radium mayor, Clara Reinhardt, told the Pioneer.
Dixon joked to the Pioneer that “getting a golden axe is better than getting a golden handshake”, then, turning serious, he added “It was a surprise. I feel honoured and humbled.”
Speaking to the length of his service he said “It was getting time to step down, when I retired, but I have to say I enjoyed my time as chief quite a bit.”
