Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 25 / Roger Firman Plaque (701 Day Street, Winnipeg)

The property for this Fire Hall on Day Street was acquired by the City of Winnipeg around 1983, with tenders being called for in early 1985. Initially planned as Fire Hall No. 21, it was redesignated as No. 25 and opened sometime thereafter.

A plaque mounted on a exterior side wall of the Fire Hall commemorates Corporal Roger Joseph Firman, a Transcona native. Born on 22 September 1920, son of Frederick Francis “Alfred” Firman (c1887-1970) and Marie Emilie Poliquin (1893-1986), he grew up at the very site where the Fire Hall now stands. During the Second World War, he joined the Royal Canadian Rifles and was deployed to England, where he married Vera Jean Firman a few weeks prior to the 1944 Normandy invasion. He took part in the 6 July 1944 Allied invasion of Occupied Europe and was captured by Nazi troops. Two days later, near Caen, France, he was executed by the 12th SS Hitler Youth Division, one of over 150 Canadian solders to be killed in such criminal manner while an unarmed prisoner of war. He was later buried at the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery at Reviers, Calvados, France. The plaque was unveiled on 8 June 2007 (the 63rd anniversary of his death) by his boyhood friend, retired Captain Paul Martin of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, before a crowd of veterans, ex-classmates, and residents.

Fire Hall No. 25

Fire Hall No. 25 (no date)
Source: Larry Klassen (retired firefighter)

Fire Hall No. 25

Fire Hall No. 25 (June 2022)
Source: George Penner

Firman commemorative plaque at Fire Hall No. 25

Firman commemorative plaque at Fire Hall No. 25 (September 2014)
Source: Nathan Kramer

Firman commemorative plaque at Fire Hall No. 25

Firman commemorative plaque at Fire Hall No. 25 (June 2022)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89840, W97.00311
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 1 / Central Fire Hall (110 Albert Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 2 / South Fire Hall (Smith Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Fighters Museum of Winnipeg / Fire Hall No. 3 (56 Maple Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 4 (470 Gertrude Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 5 (354 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 7 (349 Burrows Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 8 (325 Talbot Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 9 (1466 William Avenue West, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 10 (845 Sargent Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 11 / Fire Hall No. 7 (180 Sinclair Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 12 (1055 Dorchester Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 13 (410 Cathedral Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 14 (161 Lipton Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 15 (524 Osborne Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fire Hall No. 25 (701 Day Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Boniface Fire Hall No. 1 (212 rue Dumoulin, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Boniface Fire Hall No. 2 / Police Station (328 Tache Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Boniface Fire Hall No. 3 / Fire Hall No. 9 (864 Marion Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Boniface Fire Hall No. 4 / Fire Hall No. 15 (1083 Autumnwood Drive, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. James Fire Hall (200 Berry Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Vital Museum / St. Vital Fire Hall (600 St. Mary’s Road, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Transcona Municipal Office and Fire Hall (Victoria Avenue West, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Transcona Public Safety Building / Fire Hall No. 21 / Police Station No. 4 (730 Pandora Avenue West, Winnipeg)

Sources:

Second World War Service Files, Library and Archives of Canada.

Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

“13 Manitoba soldiers named in latest Army casualty list,” Winnipeg Free Press, 21 June 1945, page 2.

“In Memoriam,” Winnipeg Free Press, 8 June 1957, page 14.

Obituary [Francis Alfred Firman], Winnipeg Free Press, 5 March 1970, page 39.

“Trustee offered land for sale, report says,” Winnipeg Free Press, 19 October 1984, page 3.

“New fire hall approved,” Winnipeg Free Press, 29 November 1984, page 3.

“City of Winnipeg Works & Operations Departments Notice of Tenders,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 February 1985 page 88.

Obituary [Marie Emilie Firman], Winnipeg Free Press, 22 September 1986, page 36.

“Plaque honours young soldier,” Winnipeg Free Press, 9 June 2007, page A11.

We thank George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 11 June 2022

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.

Browse lists of:
Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | Other

Inclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner.

Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes.


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.

Search Tips | Suggest an Historic Site | FAQ

Help us keep history alive!