08/14/2026
With heavy hearts, today our members of Tla’amin Nation Fire Department joined Melvin Mitchell’s family, friends, colleagues, and community to honour his life and say goodbye.
It was moving to see how many lives Melvin touched. His kindness, teachings, generosity, and passion for helping others left a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
Melvin dedicated many years to the Tla’amin Nation Fire Department and to serving his community. He was always willing to help, share his knowledge and culture, and step forward whenever something needed to be done (even when you didn’t realize you needed him yet).
His contributions reached far beyond Tla’amin. Melvin was involved with the First Nations Emergency Services Society before it became FNESS, back when it was known as the Society of Native Indian Fire Fighters (SNIFF). He helped shape programs and build a foundation that continues to support First Nations communities throughout British Columbia today.
We extend our sincere thanks to everyone from the wider emergency-services family who attended Melvin’s wake and funeral service, including members of Powell River Fire Rescue, Northside Fire Department, and FNESS. Your presence and support meant so much and demonstrated the strength of the emergency-services family Melvin helped build throughout his many years of service.
A special thank-you to the members of Northside Fire Department who assisted with traffic control and honour guard for Melvin’s funeral procession.
We also extend our deepest gratitude to Melvin’s family for sharing him with our department, our community, and the wider emergency-services family throughout the years. Those who serve give so much of themselves, and their families make sacrifices alongside them.
Melvin, thank you for your service, your teachings, your kindness, and your unwavering dedication to others. We were incredibly fortunate to have you.
Many people had the honour of serving alongside you, and it is a privilege for all of us to continue the work you helped begin.
čɛčɛhaθɛč, Melvin. You will be greatly missed, but your legacy will continue.
Rest easy, we’ll take it from here.
