Douglas Beale remembered as a pillar of Tumbler Ridge Fire Department

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. – The Tumbler Ridge Fire Department is mourning the sudden passing of Senior Firefighter Douglas Beale on May 26th.

Beale worked at the department for 22 years, starting in August 1999.

The department described him as a pillar of the fire family.

Fire chief Dustin Curry got to know Beale during Curry’s 17 years with the department and says Beale was the type of person “that would always be there.”

“He’s one of the most committed firefighters in our department and often would rearrange his own personal schedule to accommodate emergency coverage of Tumbler Ridge,” Curry said.

“He often would put the fire department over any of his plans in order to try and make sure that the community itself was safe. He was very community-minded in that way.”

At the time of his passing, Beale held the rank of senior firefighter and was the department’s safety officer.

Curry said that Beale was the 2021 vice president of the Tumbler Ridge Firefighters Association and a past department chair for the Muscular Dystrophy Fundraising Committee, a cause that was dear to him.

“Doug was much more than just another firefighter in the department. He was a brother, confidant and mentor to many of us,” Curry said in an email.

Curry said that the family is still arranging funeral plans and that they will be held at a later date.

A family friend set up a GoFundMe that will go directly to Beale’s family for any support they may need in this difficult time.

Over $4,000 has been raised at the time of writing.