Swift Current Deputy Fire Chief Peter L'Heureux wasn't exactly calling up the radio demanding a story to be done on him being honoured by SUMA - rather, he agreed to an interview on being presented with the Meritorious Service Award for 20 years of service in Saskatchewan municipalities.

Two decades is a long time in any profession, and although L'Heureux might not think the award needs to be a news story, he did concede that it was a good feeling being honoured.

"Well, it's always nice to be recognized, and it's nice to be appreciated, and I think municipally that's part of employee recognition, a few of the things the City does, and it's nice to be recognized on a provincial scale and by the greater municipalities and that grouping of communities that are trying to thank their employees for a long service."

L'Heureux started as an auxiliary firefighter in Swift Current before going to fire school in Vermillion, Alta., spending a year in Edmonton, and then returning to Swift Current for the start of 20 years - so far - on the job.

"People used to stay at a job for 30, 40 years. Now 20 years is a pretty big thing to make it in the same employment, or under the same employer for 20 years," said L'Heureux, who became a deputy fire chief in 2010.

He said receiving the award in Saskatoon on Tuesday made him look back at his time, but it wasn't so much about specific instances - it was more about the interpersonal side of things.

"I don't think any one moment in particular. It's the people. Especially here, I think the fire service, and the emergency services, in particular, have a different dynamic than most workplaces. We spend a lot of time working with people. And they're not just out coworkers. They become a part of our extended family and the people that you rely on, not just to help you get work done, but life and death situations, and life-saving moments, and moments of consequence. For me it's always been the people, the friendships, the relationships in a workplace. They don't all have to be bestest friends, but you can rely on them and trust them, and that they're good people. For me it's been those small moments, the little snippets."

L'Heureux also joked about coming to realize he's more of a senior member of the team.

"I think as any of us move towards kind of - and I don't say the tail end in anticipation - but the tail end of our careers is, I was the youngest for a long time, I kind of felt younger, and now I've been here a while I'm starting to feel like a bit of an old dog. 'You know, back in the old days,' and you start telling stories, and you think 'Wow - I've become that guy.'"

'That guy' joins Fire Chief Darren McClelland and fellow Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Hunter as members to be honoured recently for hitting significant milestones, with theirs being the 25-year mark.