Lorne the Leader
For most of his life, Lorne has been a social activist
in one form or another. Starting in high school
Lorne has always made time to advocate in
support of social and community issues.
For almost his entire adult life, Lorne has represented
fire fighters issues to all levels of
government. He has been a strong leader
for fire fighters in Surrey for 25
years. Surrey City Council was the first
community in British Columbia to pass a
resolution in support of a WCB Cancer
Presumption for their fire fighters as result
of Lorne’s lobby efforts.
Local 1271 under Lorne’s leadership has become
a political force to reckon with in Surrey.
Candidates from all parties often call Local 1271
first to seek advice before deciding whether
or not to enter a political race. Under
Lorne’s stewardship Local 1271 has also become
the number one charitable organization in the
city. Surrey Fire Fighters’ Foundation has a
higher profile than any other community
organization in the city, supporting and
delivering more programs than any other like
organization to their community, Surrey fire fighters
have become community leaders in every
way. This year Local 1271 has won the
most prestigious community award, the
"Community Leader" sponsored by
local media outlets to be presented to Local
1271 June 2, 2004 at the Bear Creeks Arts
Centre.
Lorne has been an IAFF Provincial
Representative since 1999, when he was first
appointed to bargain IAFF Local 3944 Whistler Fire Fighters'
first Collective Agreement. Lorne has
also helped many other Locals at the
bargaining table. He has led or assisted
successfully no less than 30 agreements with
over a dozen Locals throughout various regions
of British Columbia. Surrey Fire Fighters
enjoy the highest wage and benefits of any
fire fighters in British Columbia as result of
Lorne’s long standing efforts at the
bargaining table in Surrey.
Lorne, the IAFF and BCPFFA
Lorne has been the 6th District
appointment to the IAFF Policy Committee since
1996 to present. Prior to that he sat one term
on the Credentials Committee. He chaired the
BCPFFA Stipend and Expense committee in
1999-2000. In 1998 Lorne sat on the BCPFFA
Convention Rules Committee and in 1996 he
participated as a committee member with the
BCPFFA Training and Jurisdiction, and EMS
Committees. Lorne was a presenter for the
IAFF at their EMS conference presenting a
session on GIS Mapping and the related
services provided by the IAFF. At present
Lorne is participating in the British Columbia
Police and Fire Pension Committee as well.
Following the 1999 civic election the City
invited Lorne to participate in a Fire Service
Review Task Force, which resulted in a Council
Resolution to staff all fire response apparatus with
four fire fighters and saw a thorough review
of management practices and a new
Administration installed in the Surrey Fire
Department. From 1980 through 1990 Lorne was a WCB advocate and presented appeals on behalf
of Surrey’s fire fighters. During that time
he was also chair of the Surrey Fire Fighters
Occupational Health and Safety Committee.
Lorne is also an active member in the National
Fire Protection Association.
Lorne with Labour
Lorne has been active in the Labour movement
in British Columbia as well participating in
many BC Federation of Labour events, and
holding the position of BC Federation of
Labour Trustee from
1996-2002, and he has been a delegate to the
New Westminster and District Labour Council
since 1994. Lorne has attended all CLC Labour
School Studies available, and continues to
educate himself wherever possible. He
attended the CLC Labour Bargaining forums, and
has spoken as a panel speaker for the IAFF,
CLC and other Canadian Education Labour
Forums.
Lorne the Fire Fighter
Lorne is currently a Captain at Surrey Fire
Hall #11 in the Panorama area near the Delta
Border. He has recently completed his
Battalion Chief pool exams and is qualified as
a Training Officer. He has been an instructor
for the Fire Academy and is a Rope Rescue
instructor as well as a Field-Training
Technician in the Surrey Fire Department.
As a Fire Academy instructor, he co-developed
the first HazMat course for British Columbia
relying on IAFF educational material. He
played a role in bringing the first IFSTA accreditation to
British Columbia.
Lorne first showed interest in the Fire
Service by joining a forest fire fight in the
summer of 1973 at the age of 17, later that
year at the age of 18 he joined the paid-call
force in Surrey and started his career as a
professional fire fighter at the age of 21 in
1977. Two years later he was
elected to a union position within Local 1271,
and has been representing fire fighters ever
since.
Lorne in the Community
Lorne has raised Surrey Fire Fighters’ profile
in the community tremendously in the past 15
years or more. Under Lorne’s stewardship
Local 1271 has become the number one
charitable organization in the City, raising
nearly $450,000 every year. Local 1271
has created the first Fire Fighters’
Foundation, an endowment trust that will see
the interest earned from a 10 million dollar
trust keep on giving on behalf of fire
fighters forever.
Lorne remains active in many community
organizations such as the Surrey Memorial
Hospital Foundation, United Way, the Surrey
Family YMCA and the South Fraser Child Development
Centre, to name a few. He currently sits
at the BC Business and Economic Roundtable on
Mental Health, advocating on behalf of fire
fighters and the community at large, mental
health issues. Always representing
Surrey’s fire fighters at every turn, Lorne
has made sure that the community knows we are
there, and what we stand for, respect,
integrity and community.
Lorne and Politics
Lorne first cut his teeth on politics when at
the age of 18 he successfully lobbied
civically to achieve land rezoning and
development and provincially for regulatory
approval and Land Use Act amendments. By the
time he was 21 and a rookie in the Surrey Fire
Department he was experienced and wise to the
success political action can bring to any
organization. Life is about relationships and
Lorne has built relationships with all levels
of government and established a vast network
of very influential people at each level.
Lorne was not only the first fire fighter but
he was the first Union leader to meet with
Gordon Campbell after being elected Premier of
British Columbia. When Paul Martin arrived in
Vancouver for the leadership debate, Lorne was
able to secure as much time as needed for our
Police and Fire leaders to meet with Martin’s
senior campaign team to discuss key federal
initiatives and lobby for support of our
Special Agreement Pension concerns. He
has been invited to meet with Deputy Prime
Minister, and Minister of Public Safety and
Emergency Preparedness the Honourable A. Anne
McLellan
and participate in her Crime and Safety Forum
to bring debate from the fire fighters perspective.
Lorne has
been able to secure debate and time with most
any leader of any political stripe in
assisting many Locals to be heard at the
decision making table.
Lorne at Home
Lorne now at the age of 48 lives in the quiet
community of Fort Langley, happily married to
Lori Bowie who together have two boys, Aidan
age 10 and Liam age 7. They share many
passions and pursuits together. They both
participate in water skiing at a competitive
level with the boys just beginning to share
that passion. They are a physically active
family and can often be seen on the hiking
trails, walking, biking, or simply just taking
a family stroll.
After carefully consulting all who may be able
to provide insight to the responsibilities and
tasks associated with the role of IAFF 6th
District Vice-President we have made a family
decision that we are prepared for the hard
work expected of the IAFF 6th District
Vice-President for the next four years!
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