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Coffee with: New York bound

World Police and Fire Games coincide with 10th anniversary of 9/11 attacks
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Delta Police Const. Mo Parry and Delta Fire Acting Cpt. Dave Eastman are playing hockey at the 2011 World Police and Fire Games in New York.

About 40 members of Delta’s police and fire departments will be in New York City next week competing for gold, silver and bronze medals.

One of them is Delta Police Const. Mo Parry, who looks forward to joining more than 15,000 other police officers and firefighters from 70 countries to compete in the 2011 World Police and Fire Games from Aug. 26 to Sept. 5.

Parry is suiting up to play wing for the Delta Police and Fire Hockey Team—the Delta Bulls. This will be his second time competing at the international, multi-sport event, having also participated in the 2009 games in Burnaby.

“It was a good opportunity for us to foster good working relations,” Parry said. “We had a lot of fun.”

This year, Delta’s police and fire departments have formed a combined team, coached by Police Chief Jim Cessford and Grant Armstrong, scout for the WHL’s Portland Winter Hawks and head coach of the North Delta Devils.

Delta Fire & Emergency Services Acting Captain Dave Eastman will back up Parry on the Bulls’ defence. Eastman also participated in the 2009 games and is looking forward to the social aspect of the event as much as the competition.

“Just the camaraderie of getting together with people from other departments around the world, police and fire, is the big thing,” Eastman said.

Delta Fire is entering an all-fire novice ice hockey team as well. Delta will also be represented in soccer, tennis, golf, running, swimming, cycling, marksmanship and more.

This year’s games coincide with the 10-year anniversary of Sept. 11. 2001. Participants are invited to attend two special ceremonies: a candlelight vigil remembering all those lost on Sept. 11, and a thank you ceremony where all New Yorkers can express their gratitude for the international support that flooded into the city following the terrorist attacks.

“It’s very fitting that the World Police and Fire Games for this year are being held in New York, so it does hold some special meaning for all of us who are attending from both police and fire,” Parry said. “The 9/11 attacks affected all of us, not only as police officers and firefighters, but also as just citizens. It’s super important for us to go and pay our respects as Canadian citizens showing our support to the United States and also showing our support to our fellow police officers and firefighters from the U.S.”

The World Police and Fire games, held every two years since 1985 in different cities around the world, promote physical fitness and sport within the worldwide police and fire community.

Delta police and firefighters have held a number of fundraisers across the community to help pay their way to the games. The Bulls hockey team plays its first game Saturday (Aug. 27) against Oslo. With 35 teams in their division, Parry expects the competition to be tough.