When Duty Calls (2009)

100 years ago 11 people died when the Okanagan Hotel burned to the ground - this event remains the worst loss of life Vernon has ever suffered. However, one of the dead also saved three people before succumbing to smoke and flame; that person was Archie Hickling. The newspaper hailed him as a hero but today we know little about Archie Hickling except that a cairn in Polson Park is dedicated to him. Using archival images and text resources, as well as interviews with a family historian, fire fighters and relatives of the hotel owner, a picture of Archie Hickling and his times comes to life. Viewers will also learn about the difficulty of fighting fires at the time and why, despite the finding of the Coroner's Inquisition, no one was brought to trial for arson. Original music written and performed for this production; "Greater Love," by Rob Dinwoodie.