A new monument on the grounds of the B.C. legislature honours firefighters who died in the line of duty.

The bronze statue of a firefighter was unveiled Wednesday at a ceremony organized by the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters Association.

Mike Hurley, association president, said the memorial pays tribute to those who have lost their lives due to illness or injury related to their work as a firefighter.

Studies have shown that firefighters have higher incidence of some cancers and coronary disease due to the toxic environments in which they work, Hurley said in a statement.

There is no higher calling than putting your own life at risk to save another, said Premier Christy Clark.

“The statue is a permanent tribute to their service and recognizes their ultimate sacrifice, as well as their families and colleagues who continue to mourn their loss,” she said in a statement.

Caleb Bourgeois, 4, stands with his grandmother Norma Jennings Bravo, left, and his mother Cindy Young Bourgeois at the unveiling of a monument on the legislature grounds honouring fallen firefighters. Caleb’s great-grandfather, Saanich Fire Department Lieut. Thomas William Jenning was killed in a house fire. (Darren Stone, Times Colonist, Feb, 13, 2013)

Firefighters march on the grounds of the legislature during a ceremony that unveiled a monument honouring firefighters who have died in the line of duty. (Darren Stone, Times Colonist, Feb. 13, 2013)

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