Tonight, City Council awarded Patrick Hutchinson with the 2020 Tim Hickman Memorial Health and Safety Scholarship.
This annual $3,000 scholarship for students in an occupational and/or public health and safety related program was established in 2006 by the City of London and CUPE Locals 101 and 107, as a tribute to employee Tim Hickman, who died in service to the community at age 21.
“Patrick’s commitment to health and safety, and the career path he chose following his own injury is admirable,” says Mayor Ed Holder. “His dedication to serving the community in health and safety makes him an excellent recipient of this scholarship. A sincere thank you to the Hickman family for continuing Tim’s legacy and the commitment to help create a better, stronger community.”
As a second-year student in Fire Inspection and Fire Safety Education at Fanshawe College, Patrick has already shown initiative and passion to help implement health and safety in our community to prevent future tragedies. Patrick became a firefighter in 2013 and most recently was a military firefighter in Edmonton until 2017. His career and education path led him to Fire Inspection and Fire Safety following a shoulder injury he suffered while working that prevents movement in his shoulder and to do his firefighting role safely and properly.
Understanding the significance of Tim Hickman’s tragedy has motivated Patrick to work to implement health and safety in his career goals, particularly in fire inspection of arenas and potential fire dangers in the workplace.
“For our family, it’s important that lessons learned be carried forward to prevent future tragedy,” says Shirley Hickman, the mother of Tim Hickman, for whom the scholarship memorializes. “As a fire inspector, Patrick will be committed to using those lessons in his role with prevention messages.”
Patrick will receive $3000 to help with his continued studies, as well as a one-year membership to the London chapter of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), which is pleased to support his future health and safety endeavors.