“This guy comes to the fire station and he’s sporting a mullet, some glasses and he was looking to serve his community.”
That’s what Qualicum Beach fire chief Darryl Kohse recalls of his first proper meeting with Mike Insley.
“He doesn’t have it anymore,” said Kohse of the hairdo.
Insley was recognized at the town’s Dec. 17 council meeting for 25 years of service as a firefighter.
He joined in 1993, Kohse told council.
“He’s been a dedicated member since he joined. He was keen, he was eager and he was dedicated to the organization. Mike and I have spent many calls together. I think our worst calls we’ve ever had, Mike and I were working together, but we were there together. He worked hard. He worked his way through the ranks. He’s now a lieutenant with the organization. He’s been a lieutenant for many years.”
“He’s also now the only officer outside of the chiefs that have obtained the fire officer level 3 certification for the Qualicum Beach Fire Department, and that’s a professional qualification for a firefighter in North America,” said Kohse.