Firefighter Hangs Up The Ladder

After almost 34 years as a firefighter with the Moose Jaw Fire Department (MJFD) Senior Captain Brock Knipfel officially retired from the MJFD.

Knipfel was hired as a firefighter on January 5th, 1987 and was later promoted to lieutenant in 2015.

Brock Knipfel has now officially retired from the Moose Jaw Fire Department - photo courtesy City of Moose Jaw

Future promotions came to Knipfel as he was promoted to Captainin 2016 and finally to Senior Captain on May 1st, 2019. He retires from the department as a Senior Captain.

Knipfel was a decorated member of the department.

He received the Governor General’s Award for Bravery on May 11, 1997 due to his extraordinary efforts in helping free a man from a semi-tractor that was on fire.

In receiving the award the following was written of the incident:

“On May 11, 1997, twelve rescuers combined their efforts to save the life of a man trapped inside his burning vehicle following a collision between two semi-trailers at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Liquid asphalt from the ruptured pup-trailer of one vehicle had spilled onto a large area of the Trans-Canadahighway and seven-metre high flames were shooting into the sky.

With complete disregard for their own safety, the rescuers worked side by side, braving intense heat and smoke during the long, arduous and dangerous process of extricating the injured driver from the burning wreckage.

Some men doused the screaming victim and attempted to contain the flames with extinguishers and water supplies, while others managed to attach a chain from a pay loader to the tractor unit and pull it away from its burning trailer.

Using the jaws of ife, the rescuers finally were able to pry open the driver's door and free the man. Moments after the victim was carried to safety, the entire area was enveloped in an enormous fireball.”