The Town of Gravenhurst expressed its gratitude and appreciation last week to a member of its staff who is not a traditional 40-hour-a-week employee.

During last Tuesday’s town council meeting, Mayor John Klinck presented fire chief Lorne McNeice with his service bars recognizing 35 years of service as a firefighter in Ontario.

Service bars are an extension of the Ontario Long Service medal, which is presented to Ontario firefighters with 25 years of firefighting service. The bars are presented at 30 years and five-year intervals thereafter to be added to the medal’s ribbon.

Klinck said McNeice, a humble man, has never been a fan of pageantry. Council was forced to play a little trick on him to ensure the surprise of the occasion, giving McNeice the false impression that he was asked to attend the meeting to discuss the fire department’s 2008 budget.

McNeice joined the Gra­venhurst Fire Department as a firefighter on Sept. 1, 1972, a time when the municipality and fire department were undergoing major changes.

District government had just been established and the fire department was opening two more stations, adding 220 square miles of coverage and tripling the number of volunteers.

“It was a time of great change and as an enthusiastic firefighter, Lorne learned all he could about firefighting and helping people in their time of need,” said Klinck. “He attended every course he could through the Ontario Fire College and every training session he could find elsewhere in Ontario.”

McNeice was promoted to deputy fire chief in 1977, and eight years later was appointed fire chief, a position to which he is ideally suited, said Klinck.

“His calm and assured demeanour is always welcome when all about him is fire and chaos,” he explained. “He is a consummate professional who guides the members of a top-notch agency. We are all very lucky to have him at the helm of such an important group in our community.”

Klinck went to say that McNeice’s dedication has been 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for the past 35 years.

“He has put off special family events, missed birthday parties, even held off on vacation trips because the department was short of men; all to protect the residents of our town from the effects of fire.”