3After 27 years as a firefighter, Bonnyville Fire Station 5 chief Darryl Shyian announced he'll be retiring.
With his upcoming retirement from his full-time position with Imperial Oil, Shyian made the decision to step down from the position of fire chief as of Feb. 1, a title he's held with the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority (BRFA) since March 2011.
3"I've seen a lot of things out there, a lot of positives, and you just get to that time and you make a decision with it and say 'I've done a lot of stuff out there in the community and it's an opportunity for someone else to continue with it,'" expressed Shyian.
Originally from Edmonton, Shyian had no idea about the organization before his friends convinced him to sign up as a volunteer firefighter nearly three decades ago.
Station 5 chief Darryl Shyian is retiring as of Feb. 1.
"They're the lifelines of the community; we see them out in the community. Unfortunately, people see them when they're out in their units with flashing lights and sirens going to a scene," he noted. "A lot of people don't realize that these are the people that are actually living and working in their community, it's the average person. They hold multiple roles, and they could be at work sites, they're parents that you'll see at teacher interviews, your soccer and gymnastic coaches... Everyone plays a part there, and it's really an extension of what they want to do to help out."
One of the highlights of Shyian's career was how the fire prevention program has taken off at the station.
"We started with our first open house... with 12 people. Nowadays, we've got up to a crowd with 1,200-plus," he exclaimed.
Shyian added, he's also watched the fire department itself grow over the years.
"The equipment has been a big change from what we had. We only had a couple of fire engines before, and we're up to seven in this community alone. The training, our responses, and the continued growth of it and how it's an ever-evolving career. It’s a great one for people who want to look at it to volunteer, and the opportunities are great for people considering to get their feet wet."
As Shyian moves on with the next chapter in his life, he will undoubtedly be missed by those at the fire station and in the community.
BRFA fire chief Jay Melvin said, "He really gave it 110 per cent anytime, and he worked full-time so he was doing this on his time off. That's always difficult in the fire service, but his level of commitment to the emergency services as a whole is something that will definitely be missed."
Melvin noted that they're still in the process of choosing who will be taking over the role of Station 5 chief once Shyian is retired.
While he's not sure just yet what the future holds, Shyian thanked the community, the BRFA, and members of Station 5 who supported him over the years.
"I'm leaving with a win-win situation. We put in many hours working together, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I'm glad I was able to take advantage of it."
