Fire chiefs banned from fire hall for life after snowmobiler hit and killed

The recent tragedy in Collingwood Corner, N.S., where a snowmobiler was struck and killed by a fire truck, has led to the removal of the fire chief Jerrold Cotton and deputy chief Andrea Bishop from their positions. The Municipality of Cumberland council made the decision to discharge them and ban them for life from the fire station in the community.

The incident occurred when Blake Nicholson, a 28-year-old man, crashed his snowmobile near Poison Lake and the Collingwood and District Volunteer Fire Department was called to assist. Tragically, Nicholson was struck and killed by the fire truck that had responded to the call for help. He left behind a fiancée and a two-year-old son, leaving the community in shock and mourning.

After a packed meeting, Mayor Rod Gilroy explained that once the hard evidence of the incident came to light, it was necessary for the council to take action. The decision to remove Cotton and Bishop from their positions was met with mixed reactions from the community, with some questioning why it took so long for the council to act.

Greg Herrett, the municipality’s CAO, revealed that Cotton had not been truthful about the events surrounding Nicholson’s death and had even responded to an emergency call the day after the tragic incident, despite publicly stating he would step away from his duties. This revelation raised concerns about Cotton’s conduct and integrity in the role of fire chief.

It was also disclosed that Cotton had previously pleaded guilty to impaired driving in 2020, further tarnishing his reputation and credibility. The municipality had limited authority to remove individual chiefs or deputy chiefs before the enactment of the bylaw used to discharge Cotton and Bishop.

The RCMP conducted an investigation into the incident and determined that Nicholson was indeed struck and killed by the fire truck. However, they did not administer a breathalyzer test to Cotton at the scene. The details of Cotton’s actions and condition at the time of the accident will be left to the RCMP to determine.

The tragic loss of Blake Nicholson has had far-reaching consequences, leading to the removal of key figures in the volunteer fire department and sparking discussions about accountability and transparency in emergency response situations. The community continues to grieve the loss of a young life and seek answers to the questions surrounding this devastating event.