We regret to advise of the death of Firefighter Corporal David “Burnsy” Burns, CD (Ret’d) of Lamont, AB (formerly of Glace Bay, NS) on 3 November 2021 at age 60 after his two year battle with cancer.
Born and raised in Glace Bay, David enlisted in the Canadian Forces in 1978 as an Infantryman with the Royal Canadian Regiment. He served with both their 1st and 2nd Battalions including a 1984 United Nations peacekeeping tour in Cyprus. He remustered to the Firefighter trade and joined the Canadian Military Engineers in 1986.
David served as a Firefighter first at Canadian Forces Base Summerside PE followed by tours in the period 1991-93 on HMCS Vancouver, Algonquin, and Montreal. He was then posted to CFB Shearwater NS in 1994 followed by CFB Halifax in 1996 from where he retired in 2001 at age 40 after a 23 year career with the Canadian Forces.
Upon retiring from the CF, David moved back to Glace Bay to spend time with his family. He worked as a commissionaire at Cape Breton University. After a short time living in Nova Scotia, however, he moved to Alberta to work in the oil fields.
Burnsy was a proud firefighter and was very proud of his son-in-law becoming a fire fighter in Lamont. They enjoyed spending time together talking about fire procedures and the differences in equipment and trucks they used over the years. The Lamont Fire Department supported his family over the past two years.
A visitation will take place at the Park Memorial Funeral Home, 5208 - 50 Avenue, Lamont, AB on 7 November from 2-4:00 p.m. with cremation to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in David’s name to The Friend’s of Lamont Fire Fighter’s Society, Online condolences can be sent to the funeral home.
