The Rotary Club of St. John’s has named Captain Patrick Power as the winner of it’s annual Firefighter of the Year Award.

Power, who spent 42 years with St. John’s Regional, accepted the award during a special luncheon on Tuesday.

He says receiving the award is a “great honour” noting that he was shocked to learn that he had been nominated.

Power says there are many stories to tell from his four decades long career, including one incredible story in which he fell out of a helicopter during a high-angle recue on a cliff.

He says unfortunately, the person who they were rescuing didn’t make it. However, things took a scary turn when the line he was secured to wasn’t tethered properly.

He says he fell between 20 and 30 feet onto the cliffside. When he came to, he realized that he was very close to the edge of another cliff that dropped an additional 30 or 40 feet.