The Drumheller Fire Department has served the valley for more than 90 years and in that time, has had an impressive record saving buildings and numerous lives.
There have only been two fatalities in the department in that time, but these deaths strike right at the heart of the Drumheller Fire Department.
Harry Lefebre died battling a fire in 1937 and Adolf Guterson perished in 1951, also protecting the community. Harry was the brother-in-law of Drumheller’s first Fire Chief, William Guterson, and Adolf was his son.
In response to a suggestion, members of the Drumheller Fire Department took a few moments Wednesday night to tidy up the graves at the Drumheller Cemetery of these three dignified Drumhellerites.
William Guterson was the first and longest standing Drumheller Fire Chief. Local lore recalls he was selected as chief in 1919 because as a painter, he owned a ladder. He was married in 1915 to Antoinette Lefebre, and as well as operating a contracting business and a hardware store, he served until 1961 as fire chief. When he retired, he was honoured as Canada’s oldest and longest serving Fire Chief. While a firefighter, Queen Elizabeth II cited him for his heroics, saving the life of “Tip” Nicholas in a fire at the Alexander Hotel in 1940.
Guterson’s history of firefighting is not all heroics. In fact, two of his greatest tragedies were great losses to the community.
The first came on February 2 1937. Henry Lefebre, brother-in-law of Guterson, was also a veteran firefighter and responded with the department to a fire at the NB Vickers Hardware Store. According to a newspaper account, Lefebre was handling a stream of water at the rear of the premise with fellow firefighter James Mains, when the roof of the Vickers Store collapsed. This caused a rush of air that buckled the concrete and brick wall. Lefebre was struck by the debris and killed instantly.
According to the Lefebre/ Guterson family history, the family endured, because only a short time before the tragedy, the Fire Department became a part of the Workers Compensation Board, which gave the family a benefit.
What was more important was the family connection that helped the family rebuild.
As written in the family history by Frank Lefebre: “The biggest benefit we received was from the Guterson and Lefebre families living in Drumheller… the aunts and uncles provided a lot of support to Ma in the raising of her three boys. She always mentioned how much she appreciated having this family around her and how much they accepted and helped her in these tough times.”
The second tragedy of the Drumheller Fire Department struck even closer to William Guterson, and that was the loss of his son Adolf.
In the early hours of December 7, 1951, the Drumheller Fire Department was called to the Napier Theatre. William’s 23-year-old son was among the firefighters who responded. Firefighters spent several hours fighting the fire in the bitter cold. Adolf was on the west side of the building when the wall collapsed and a 200-pound piece of coping hit him in the middle of his back. Suffering from numerous injuries. He was rushed by ambulance to the University Hospital in Edmonton. He succumbed to his injuries on December 16.
The Drumheller Fire Department has not forgotten the heroics and the tragedy of their fellow firefighters.
(l-r) Firefighters Jeff Hatt, Bob Boyce and Ryan Young gather around Adolf Guterson’s grave at the Drumheller Cemetery last Wednesday, June 5. The firefighters were busy maintaining the graves of Drumheller’s first Fire Chief, William Guterson, Harry Lefebre who was killed in a fire at the NB Vickers Store in 1937 and Adolf Guterson, son of William, who was killed in the Napier fire of 1951.
