The owner/operator of OK Tire in Williams Lake received a pleasant surprise Wednesday when four members of the Conservation Officer Service showed up at his tire shop unexpectedly.
“I was very surprised. I wondered if I was going to get arrested,” Chuck Tupper joked afterwards.
The officers were actually there to present Tupper with a Special Recognition Award from the Province of B.C. COS for his work in assisting officers during the 2017 wildfires.
“My wife and I work very hard and so do the guys in the back. So yes, this is a very proud moment for me.”
Tupper and two of his employees were evacuated from their homes during the start of the 2017 wildfires. Tupper said he was eventually able to get special clearance to return and worked to supply the COS, RCMP and forestry service with tires, even travelling to Quesnel to get orders because nothing was getting shipped into Williams Lake.
“It was a necessity because without these guys, without RCMP, COS and forestry we would have had a very tough problem (during the wildfires) in this town. Without the work they did, we wouldn’t have a business, basically.”
Read more: Butler recognized as conservation officer of the year
Conservation Officer Service Insp. Len Butler of the Thompson Cariboo Region said they are very appreciative of Tupper’s service, particularly when they needed him most.
The award states that it is presented to an officer, civilian or organization who has “performed an important service for the Conservation Officer Service.”
“An example of this superior service was demonstrated during the extreme 2017 wildfire season. BCCOS patrol trucks were constantly being pushed to the limit with remote back road patrols and long hours.
“Chuck and Nicole made it a priority for BCCOS vehicles to be serviced without delay, ensuring our fleet was at all times 100 per cent operational.”
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