Special Service Medal - Domestic Operations Bar

[mariomike]

I'm sure the Urban SAR teams from across the country who go all over the world to save lives should get something too, but again, it isn't a CAF problem to solve.

Right.

Heavy Urban Search and Rescue ( HUSAR ) CAN-TF3 are all City of Toronto police officers, firefighters and paramedics.

Working 9-1-1 is a never-ending "dom op". Even when the calls are "just around the corner".

As far as medals go, I think NYPD and FDNY ( Fire and EMS ) have the right idea.

They restrict their police officers, firefighters and paramedics to wearing ONLY departmental medals, ribbons, citations etc. awarded by the City of New York on their city issued uniforms.

 

[brihard]

As far as medals go, I think NYPD and FDNY ( Fire and EMS ) have the right idea.

They restrict their police officers, firefighters and paramedics to wearing ONLY departmental medals, ribbons, citations etc. awarded by the City of New York on their city issued uniforms.

That’s dumb. We have a Canadian honours system. I’m glad that national level recognition is good on any uniform.

The US doesn’t have anything close to one predominant and consistent honours system like we do, which is a shame, really.

 

[mariomike]

That’s dumb.

That is the way it has been for the decades I have been following them.

And long before that.

Medal Day is one of the Department’s most time-honored traditions, dating back to 1869. In 2008, Fire and EMS Medal Books were merged into one joint publication.

https://www.nyc.gov/assets/fdny/downloads/pdf/about/medal-day-book-2022.pdf

I wore my departmental ribbon on my departmental uniform.

Still do on my departmental blazer at friend's funerals.

Because that is who we worked for. Not Ottawa.

The Ottawa ESM with Bar stays home in a drawer.

Getting it after 34 years, I figure I was one of the lucky ones who didn't get it posthumously.

I’m glad that national level recognition is good on any uniform.

I believe mixing federal and departmental medals is frowned upon. Wouldn't want to get scolded for that.

So, it is a pretty easy choice deciding which one to leave at home.

They don't mix federal with departmental medals on NYC uniforms either.

The US doesn’t have anything close to one predominant and consistent honours system like we do, which is a shame, really.

FDNY ( Fire and EMS ) honours system dates back 154 years.

As 28 is the maximum age to apply, they have plenty of time to accumulate departmental bling, if that is their thing.

Not to suggest the American way is better or worse than the Canadian way. Just different.

 

[foresterab]

When we re talking all this firefighting and wildland stuff- their service in the burning bush counts towards the fire exemplary service medal- so it is captured duty. It just takes 20 years of it.

Most provinces have a version of this. Paramedics I know have also received it. Commonly seen on structural firefighters and rarely with wildland firefighters.

Alberta Emergency Services Medal

Medals honouring Alberta’s emergency services personnel.

www.alberta.ca

There is a also the federal award for firefighting which I have only seen issued to structural fire fighters. I'm told others are eligible but all recipients I know are structural fire department guys.

Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal

The Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal, created on August 29, 1985, honours members of a recognized Canadian fire service who have completed 20 years of service, ten years of which have been served in the performance of duties involving potential risks, and were employed on or after the date...

www.gg.ca

 

[foresterab]

If the CAF members gets a medal for three weeks on the fire line in north Saskatchewan, do we also give medals to members of the wildfire fighting teams that flew in for five weeks from BC and Australia? What about the local crew from LaRonge who worked the line all summer?

Not sure how it works entirely but provincial (and Parks Canada) staff who deployed to Australia in 2019 for 6-7 weeks each did not recieve the Australian medal for fire firefighting. Likewise, international resources who come to Canada are not awarded any formal honors...this is true at least for US, NZ, Aust, Mexico and SA resources I've worked with.

That being said it is considered a professional kudos to be selected to represent your province, let alone country and generally outfits only send their top staff.

 

[Booter]

Most provinces have a version of this. Paramedics I know have also received it. Commonly seen on structural firefighters and rarely with wildland firefighters.

Alberta Emergency Services Medal

Medals honouring Alberta’s emergency services personnel.

www.alberta.ca

There is a also the federal award for firefighting which I have only seen issued to structural fire fighters. I'm told others are eligible but all recipients I know are structural fire department guys.

Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal

The Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal, created on August 29, 1985, honours members of a recognized Canadian fire service who have completed 20 years of service, ten years of which have been served in the performance of duties involving potential risks, and were employed on or after the date...

www.gg.ca

As usual- it’s the organizations ability to fill out the nominations and whether they keep the records to actually nominate folks. The fed medal anyways- I’m not familiar with the provincial system

 

[Kilted]

Radical Idea here, but could we perhaps just use the OSM with a distinct ribbon? Make it the inverse of the OSM-Humanitas (red with white edges) ?

It's cheaper to get new ribbon made than to have a new medal or bar struck. Plus I would reckon it would be less staff work for DHH.

Just a thought for a petition that probably won't see traction.

Don't they already have to redesign most of the medals anyways?

 

[Kilted]

That is the way it has been for the decades I have been following them.

And long before that.

https://www.nyc.gov/assets/fdny/downloads/pdf/about/medal-day-book-2022.pdf

I wore my departmental ribbon on my departmental uniform.

Still do on my departmental blazer at friend's funerals.

Because that is who we worked for. Not Ottawa.

The Ottawa ESM with Bar stays home in a drawer.

Getting it after 34 years, I figure I was one of the lucky ones who didn't get it posthumously.



I believe mixing federal and departmental medals is frowned upon. Wouldn't want to get scolded for that.

So, it is a pretty easy choice deciding which one to leave at home.

They don't mix federal with departmental medals on NYC uniforms either.



FDNY ( Fire and EMS ) honours system dates back 154 years.

As 28 is the maximum age to apply, they have plenty of time to accumulate departmental bling, if that is their thing.

Not to suggest the American way is better or worse than the Canadian way. Just different.

It really just depends if it's in the Order of Precedence or not. There have been many Provincial Medals that have been approved by the GG to be included. It makes it pretty simple, if the medal is on that list, wear it on the left side, if it's not (and I know many emergency services are guilty of not doing this), wear it on the right.

For example, Ontario has a 25 year service medal for firefighters, it's not approved because there already is a service medal for firefighters.

 

[Kilted]

Also, because we are talking about medals, the topic of the King's Coronation Medal will come up soon.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Don't they already have to redesign most of the medals anyways?

The draw of the GCS/GSM/OSM was that it would stay the same and the ribbon would be redesigned with each additional qualifying theatre or mission.

Instead, DHR and CJOC decided to take the path of least resistance and just award Expedition to everything that didn't already have a medal designated for it.

 

[mariomike]

It makes it pretty simple, if the medal is on that list, wear it on the left side, if it's not (and I know many emergency services are guilty of not doing this), wear it on the right.

Be sure to scold them.

 

[Kilted]

The draw of the GCS/GSM/OSM was that it would stay the same and the ribbon would be redesigned with each additional qualifying theatre or mission.

Instead, DHR and CJOC decided to take the path of least resistance and just award Expedition to everything that didn't already have a medal designated for it.

The OSM and GSM need to be redesigned. Only the back of the GCS needs to be changed.

I have a friend who is due for his CD, I have reminded him that he may be waiting for awhile as they redesign it.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The OSM and GSM need to be redesigned. Only the back of the GCS needs to be changed.

I have a friend who is due for his CD, I have reminded him that he may be waiting for awhile as they redesign it.

So, longer than the usual two or three years then?

 

[Kilted]

So, longer than the usual two or three years then?

It only took seven months for mine and part of that was waiting for an important enough event to give it to me.

 

[Furniture]

It only took seven months for mine and part of that was waiting for an important enough event to give it to me.

Mine was getting close to three years... I'm curious how fast my bar will arrive.

 

[markppcli]

Right.

Heavy Urban Search and Rescue ( HUSAR ) CAN-TF3 are all City of Toronto police officers, firefighters and paramedics.

Working 9-1-1 is a never-ending "dom op". Even when the calls are "just around the corner".

As far as medals go, I think NYPD and FDNY ( Fire and EMS ) have the right idea.

They restrict their police officers, firefighters and paramedics to wearing ONLY departmental medals, ribbons, citations etc. awarded by the City of New York on their city issued uniforms.

It’s worth noting that the US military honours system it’s a whole beast on its own. You’ll get a ribbon for something we’d give a guy a good PER point for.

 

[MilEME09]

It’s worth noting that the US military honours system it’s a whole beast on its own. You’ll get a ribbon for something we’d give a guy a good PER point for.

not to mention until very recently the National defense service medal was given once completing basic.

 

[Maxman1]

Also, because we are talking about medals, the topic of the King's Coronation Medal will come up soon.

Typically, coronation medals are only awarded to those who took part in the actual coronation. Jubilee medals are the "you get a medal, and you get a medal!"

 

[Booter]

Typically, coronation medals are only awarded to those who took part in the actual coronation. Jubilee medals are the "you get a medal, and you get a medal!"

When you say typically- what are you basing that on? Queen Elizabeth the seconds coronation medal went to 12500 Canadians. All of her jubilees were of a similar amount.

King George the VI was the same.

I did find King George the V, in 1911, was only for those that assisted in the coronation. But even in that case there was a second medal for those who didnt. It doesn’t appear typical or the recent practice though.

 

[Maxman1]

I was going off the earlier medals for Queen Victoria and King George V. It seems since the Coronation of George VI, coronation medals have been issued to those who weren't present (although in that case, it seems Canada's allotment mainly went to high ranking government officials).

However, Canada issued over 46,000 Golden Jubilee medals and over 60,000 Diamond Jubilee medals.