Roger Gallant of Summerside has spent the past 45 years keeping coast guard vessels in operation as a marine electronics technologist.
It has involved high-risk work, at times, and loads of travel, from the Caribbean to the high arctic.
He’s been called away more times than he can count, sometimes to a remote location on a mountaintop to fix a radio transmitter.
He was recently one of eight members of the Canadian Coast Guard to receive an exemplary service medal from Lt.-Gov. Antoinette Perry.
“It’s wonderful; totally unexpected; I had no idea,’’ Gallant said after receiving the award. “When I got contacted by (Government House staff) I had to get her to repeat what she had just told me on the phone. I thought she was talking to the wrong person.’’
The following Islanders received Canadian Coast Guard exemplary service medals from Lt.-Gov. Antoinette Perry
– Roger Gallant, electronic technologist.
– Chris Brown, retired third officer.
– Louie Campbell, third engineer.
– Alan Chisholm, lifeboatman.
– Ron Collier, chief engineer.
– Gregory Harris, retired commanding officer.
– Blair Perry, retired deckhand.
– Robert Simmonds, retired boatswain.
Gallant started 45 years ago with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, spending the first 28 years with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. He then transferred to the coast guard in Charlottetown.
His job has been to maintain all of the electronics on board coast guard ships.
While on the ships he has many tasks, including looking after not the ship’s fundamental electronics.
“I would also look after the science program or the hypographics survey, in some cases (such as) the computers, the navigation systems, etc., a terrific amount of stuff. I worked for the ship and I worked for the scientists.’’
His job also entails keeping everything running at P.E.I.’s search and rescue facilities, as well as the one in Shippagan, N.B.
“There’s only three technicians in Charlottetown, including myself, and in addition . . . we also look after all of the high-tech radio equipment used by the conservation protection officers and all of their fisheries offices here on the Island and all of them in New Brunswick that face on to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and there’s a lot.’’
Essentially, if Gallant and his fellow techs don’t do their jobs, the coast guard fleet doesn’t go anywhere.
“If their navigation systems aren’t working, communications systems aren’t working, they literally cannot go to sea and do their job.’’
The calls for help almost come daily, he notes.
Wade Spurrell, assistant commissioner of Coast Guard Atlantic, said all of the award recipients deserve a big pat on the back for a job well done.
“The award was created to honour members of the service who are exposed to the rigors of sea duty or other hazardous environments and who’s service record covers long and meritorious service,’’ Spurrell said. “(They) have gone above and beyond to ensure their job gets done and it gets done well.’’
