Whistler Fire Chief Thomas Doherty has been on the job for 36 years, and in that time he's met NHL players Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Rod Brind'Amour, Dwayne Roloson and Ryan Walter. This fall, he added Quinn, Jack and Luke Hughes to the list.
On Oct. 30, Doherty made his way down to Rogers Arena to present Quinn, captain of the Vancouver Canucks, with a customized firefighter's helmet at a home game. Doherty's design sports the organization's distinctive "flying skate" logo and the number 43 because Hughes is the progenitor of Team 43: a community initiative to thank first responders and raise money for the BC Professional Firefighters' Burn Fund.
Reigning Norris Trophy winner Quinn launched the program in tribute to his grandfather Marty, a 31-year firefighting veteran and ex-New York City Fire Department (FDNY) battalion chief.
"I think it’s fantastic that [Quinn's] using his platform and influence to shine the spotlight on firefighters and first responders," said Doherty in a press release. "It really shows, even for the younger kids growing up, what it means to always contribute back to the community. There are so many different avenues out there, and this is just one of them.
"There’s sometimes an expectation as firefighters that this is the role we signed up for and just part of the job, so when you have somebody of this stature that’s very well-followed providing support and highlighting the work we do, it goes a long way. I think that it’s critical that kids growing up see that, and maybe it will inspire them to pay it forward."
A fireman and an artist
Art has long been a part of Doherty's life, whether he's teaching himself airbrushing via YouTube or making some sketches with a pencil and notepad. Over time it has become a healthy escape from the demands of his career—a career that has taken him from his native Ladysmith to Big White, Kelowna and Campbell River before July 2022, when he moved to Whistler.
Doherty crafted his first custom helmet, a rendition of the 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park fire, exclusively by hand. It was donated to a BC Training Officers Association fundraiser and was auctioned off twice, raising more than $1,500 each time. He's made other helmets to honour retiring colleagues.
About his creative process, Doherty explained in a release: "I usually try to get a sense from whoever I’m creating it for, what the theme is and if there’s any sort of personal things I can incorporate. It usually starts with an existing helmet, so this one [given to Quinn] was a service helmet in Kelowna.
"Sometimes they come with a lot of nicks and whatnot, and that can add a bit of prep time. The majority of the work is just prepping the helmet and making sure the substrate is all cleaned off and sanded and smooth."
After that, Doherty puts down a base layer and applies the desired graphics before using commercial automobile clear coat paint to armour his finished product against wear and tear. Some helmets can be finished in 10 to 20 hours, but others take considerably longer.
'The helmet itself is a symbol'
20 years after the destructive Mountain Park conflagration, Quinn toured several fire halls in West Kelowna to support the men and women battling last year's McDougall Creek blaze. Touched by his gesture, a number of firefighters expressed to Doherty (a former deputy chief in the area) their wish to thank the star athlete tangibly.
Doherty finished the Team 43 helmet before the most recent NHL postseason in April, but elected not to gift it at that time. He and his Kelowna-based peers didn't want to generate some kind of superstition in the Canucks locker room, so they waited.
Lo and behold: Oct. 30 turned out to be the franchise's Firefighters Night. Quinn's younger brothers Jack and Luke (both top-four NHL draft picks) rolled into town with the visiting New Jersey Devils. It was an ideal opportunity.
The game itself? Less than ideal for the home team. Jack notched a goal and an assist as his Devils ran roughshod over Vancouver 6-0. Afterwards, Doherty and his fellow firefighters were ushered down to ice level where team officials gave him a microphone.
Once the Hughes family showed up, Doherty presented Quinn with the helmet after briefly explaining its origins.
"It was a real whirlwind where everything just came together at the last minute, but definitely an experience I won't forget," said Doherty. "The helmet itself is a symbol, but it's about the things Quinn and other folks around the world are doing."
