Fire departments across Manitoba are mourning the sudden loss of Headingley Fire Chief John Sparham.<\/p>\n
Headingley Fire Department<\/a>\u00a0announced Sparham’s death in a social media post Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n “Our department is grieving the loss of a respected leader, mentor, and friend who dedicated himself to serving our community through both our volunteer fire department and the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service,” wrote HFD.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n A commitment to service<\/p>\n Sparham served with the Headingley Fire Department for seven years and had been the fire chief for the past four years.\u00a0<\/p>\n “When he was not responding to calls, he protected the public as a Senior Firefighter with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service,” wrote HFD.<\/p>\n In an earlier post, Sparham spoke about the privilege and honour of serving as chief.<\/p>\n “It\u2019s an opportunity to serve a community that feels like family,” said Sparham. “I\u2019ve always taken pride in being part of Headingley, where the people we serve are friends, neighbours, and familiar faces. Taking on this role would give me the chance to use the experience and knowledge I\u2019ve gained over the years to mentor and guide the next generation of firefighters. Watching them grow into skilled, confident professionals isn\u2019t just rewarding, it\u2019s essential to ensuring our town remains safe and resilient for years to come.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Tributes pour in from across Manitoba<\/p>\n The department is asking Manitobans to keep Sparham’s family in their thoughts.<\/p>\n “We extend our deepest condolences to Chief Sparham\u2019s family, friends, crews, and colleagues during this difficult time,”\u00a0the department said.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, fire departments across the province have taken to social media to share their condolences.<\/p>\n “Our deepest condolences go out to John\u2019s family and the Headingley Fire Department. He will be sorely missed but fondly remembered,” said Gimli Fire and Rescue<\/a>.<\/p>\n