Thursday, January 30, 2020
Eleneore and Suzanne, I'm so sorry to hear of Peter's passing. Also, I apologize for the lateness of this entry. I was Peter's Senior Man at Number 4 Station for many years - 1987 to 1996. Throughout that time Peter almost always was my driver on the aerial ladder truck there. He was a very good driver. Peter was a quiet fellow, but he always kept that truck ready to roll. He had pride in his work. I marveled at his mechanical abilities, especially when it came to his beloved motorcycle. He did a brake job on my personal vehicle. I was going on a trip and ran out of time to get that done. I got a better brake job than I ever would have at any garage. I know it cost more than what Peter charged me. He wouldn't take another cent, and the only way I got to pay him back was to pay for his Sunday meals a little later on. I know the amalgamation with Ottawa was difficult for Peter. It was a big transition for many. I tried my best, along with Captain "KJ" Chapman to make it easer for Peter and make him feel at "Home" in Ottawa. We had a lot of laughs and fought many fires out of that station. It was busy enough. When they decided to put the Hazardous Materials Unit at #4, we all got transferred to different stations. I tried to keep in touch with Peter. I remember him saying, "Ah Jimmy, it's not the same" and I could hear the sadness in his voice. I was flattered that he seemed to like working with me, "KJ" and all the crew at #4. We were a family, and Peter was kind of like our dad, and always wondering why the younger guys did what they did - just like most dads. He was proud, kind, smart and a Gentleman. RIP Peter, you were a good man!
