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John Verney’s Chief of Fire Prevention Helmet There was a time when almost every building was heated with open flame. House fires were common, and people had to fend for themselves – often hopelessly – with ladders, buckets, and pails of sand. Those days were a distant memory in 1962, when John Verney joined the Nepean Fire Department. John was age 18 when he became a firefighter, but his connection to the Nepean Fire Department goes back to when he was playing hockey with the Bells Corners team, one of many charitable causes that the firefighters supported. Perhaps inspired by that experience and sponsorship from the fire department or by the universal respect and trust accorded to firemen, John joined the force at a young age, and over time, he did his bit on the frontlines and supporting charities. By the end of his career, he was Chief of Fire Prevention in Nepean, working to educate the public, identify hazards, and prevent fires rather than fighting them. The helmet bears the insignia of the former Nepean Fire Department. Founded in 1913, it was one of nine departments folded into the Ottawa Fire Services during the 2001 amalgamation. What had been a largely suburban operation became part of a city-wide organization. But by then, John had put down this helmet and retired after nearly 35 years of service. This helmet symbolizes the distance Ottawa fire fighters have travelled from the bucket brigades of old to modern all hazards fire services.