Doug Low always wanted to be a firefighter. As a child, he dreamed of ridding in that red truck and coming to the rescue. But as he grew up, like many people, his childhood dreams were overshadowed by practicality and outside expectations. When it came time to decide what to do after high school, he followed his parent’s advice and enrolled in General Sciences at the University of British Columbia.
Things changed when Doug was at university. He wasn’t enjoying what he was doing and didn’t really feel like he fit in. Restless and disillusioned, Doug started searching for something that would make him happy. He decided to see if his childhood dream was the path he should be following. A few exploratory courses at the Justice Institute of British Columbia convinced Doug that he was meant to be a firefighter. He left university and enrolled in the Firefighter Pre-employment Program at the JIBC.
Doug didn’t know any firefighters, but he threw himself into it regardless. After the JIBC, he volunteered at Surrey Fire Hall 11 to sharpen his skills and build a relationship with the city of Surrey. It only took a year for him to be hired as a career firefighter with the Surrey Fire Service.
That was 11 years ago. Since then, Doug has cemented his reputation as a dependable, hard-working firefighter. He is also an amazing example of physical fitness for his fellow firefighters. He won a gold medal at the World Police/Fire Games and often inspires his friends to push themselves harder than ever before.
When asked what the best thing about being a firefighter was, Doug answered “ I love working hard and, being exhausted at the end of the day, but the best thing is coming to work and being surrounded by friends.”
If you are interested in becoming a career firefighter, please contact Surrey Fire Service Recruitment at 604-543-6739.
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