Fire station dioramas, paintings of peaceful sunsets and painted rocks with phrases such as “You’re not alone” and “You are loved” were displayed on tables inside an Inkster Gardens classroom.
The message on a bulletin board read“First Responders Rock” in bold, coloured letters. Underneath, there is a paper with “In memory of firefighter Preston Heinbigner” printed on it.
The Meadows West School Grade 5 class hosted a first responders appreciation day Thursday to say thank you and share projects raising awareness about mental health.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
Meadows West School grade five student Gurpanth Dhillon presents his first responder art to platoon chief Chris Cauthers.
The 23 students raised $675 for the family of Heinbigner, a Winnipeg firefighter who died by suicide on April 9. Heinbigner left behind son Oslo, and his wife Shayda, who is expecting the family’s second child.
Teacher Dave Leochko said he approached Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service Chief Christian Schmidt about addressing mental-health issues.
“I approached him and said, ‘Hey, I’ve got an idea’. And he said, ‘Go ahead. We’ll support you with whatever you do,’” said Leochko.
Leochko said the class started writing letters to first responders in December 2023, but when they heard the news of Heinbigner’s suicide, the students felt they needed to do something more. Leochko said the death was a defining moment in the kids’ journey.
“I was a little leery on how to approach suicide with 10-year-olds, but we sat and had a conversation on our carpet for an hour. When we left that, I knew that we were going to go to the next level,” he said.
Soon after that conversation, students started collecting money for the family.
“It was straight from their hearts,” Leochko said, adding his goal was to help his students become citizens and be actively involved in their communities
Jared Sananikone, 11, donated some of his savings to the family.
“I donated my money because I knew that the money I had saved up would probably just go to a toy that would end up getting donated. Why would you buy a toy when you can help someone,” Jared said, beaming.
Tiago Benevides, 11, said he appreciates everything first responders do.
“I hope they know that life is good, that life has meaning, and that there’s people that can help,” he said.
Patrick McInnes, an advanced-care paramedic, said he’s never before experienced this kind of appreciation during his 22-year career.
“Just to see the look in their eyes, the joy in their faces, their eagerness to show you their projects, and the details associated with it, has just been absolutely inspiring,” McInnes said Thursday. “I wish every first responder in this city, on duty or not, could be here today to see this.”
The class painted posters for each fire and paramedic hall in the city, and students came up with another depicting emergency call volume in Winnipeg.
McInnes said mental health is one of the biggest challenges facing first responders
“We’re learning that in order to help others, we have to help ourselves,” he said.
McInnes said he sees the students’ work as a crucial step in understanding the problem and generating awareness.
“People show a lot of respect, and that’s fantastic. But many don’t really understand what it’s like to be (a paramedic),” he said. “I think these children have got that down. By showing this token of respect and thanks, I think it’s going to pay dividends for people who walk into the station and read these posters and go, ‘Wow, that’s fantastic.’”
Each student was presented with certificates from Mayor Scott Gillingham and Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux for their efforts.
matthew.frank@freepress.mb.ca