Patrick Duggan

Patrick Duggan

Age: 47

Fort McMurray Fire Captain Patrick Duggan has called Fort McMurray home since he was five years old after moving from Ontario with his family in 1978.

Some of his favourite hometown memories are of the float races on the Clearwater River during the Blueberry Festival. Duggan’s first job in his youth was working as a dishwasher at the Nomad Inn Restaurant. It was an experience he called hard work but had a lot of humour.

“Hard work could still be fun,” Duggan said on his experience at the local hotel. “And, don’t eat anything that the chef says: “Hey! Try this,” without him trying, too.”

After high school, Duggan joined the Canadian Armed Forces (Reserve) and volunteered twice for overseas deployments. Once returning, he became an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) and worked in rural and industrial Emergency Medical Services throughout Northern Alberta.

He also spent time working in the mine’s operation at Syncrude Canada before finding his way into the Fort McMurray Fire Department.

In the community, Duggan’s a driving force of protection, and when he’s not providing leadership and mentorship to his crew of firefighters, he’s helping serve at the Royal Canadian Legion as an Honour Guard and president for the local Branch No. 165.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with some great and dedicated people at our local legion,” he said. “I’m glad to belong to a community that prides itself in working hard and supporting each other.”

As for being recognized for Your McMurray Magazine’s Top 50 Under 50, Duggan is humbled by the nomination and gives credit to the people he works with.

“People who put effort into this community do it to help improve things here for all,” he said. “To be singled out amongst those people and recognized for the effort is humbling. I like to think being nominated is a positive reflection of the organizations I work with.”