Captain Doug Dudar on one of his last days with the Melfort and District Fire Department. (Submitted/Doug Dudar)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Community Hero

Melfort firefighter retires after serving community for 27 years

May 4, 2022 | 4:51 PM

One of Melfort’s veteran firefighters is retiring.

Over the weekend, Captain Doug Dudar officially cleaned out his locker at the Melfort and District Fire Department after dedicating 27 years to helping those in need in the community.

Over his nearly three decades of work, he ended up responding to hundreds of different calls, many of which continue to stick around as memories.

Dudar told northeastNOW that what he’ll remember the most are the times he got to share with his fellow firefighters.

“There was always a few of us who hung around the hall after, and we would get talking about old calls and different situations… just reminiscing.”

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This doesn’t mean there weren’t calls he vividly remembers.

One specific situation he still thinks of was a fire inside a barn loft.

“The fire was crawling up both sides… I stood there for a few seconds just in awe of what it looked like; I had never seen anything like it,” Dudar added.

This is just one example of many cases.

“Every time I hear the siren or see a fire truck, I’m going to think of a different call, a different situation.”

When asked about how fast the last 27 years went, Dudar chuckled and noted they flew by.

He also explained one of the department’s newest recruits really put it into perspective for him.

“One of the younger members said you joined the department seven years before I was born… that’s a long time.”

As for what’s next, Dudar plans on focusing on his two businesses. Despite still working, he’s excited for the extra free time he’ll have from no longer being a firefighter.

“It’s bittersweet but I’ll enjoy the free time.”

As a parting goodbye, Dudar thanked all his colleagues, their families, and the city of Melfort.

—

Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow