John WiznukJohn Wiznuk moved to Saturna Island from Victoria, B.C., in 1990, after seven years at the Maritime Museum of British Columbia, where his interest in writing was sparked when he was given the opportunity to write exhibit copy. Shortly after his move o Saturna, at about the same time he joined the volunteer fire department, he began contributing to the Island Tides newspaper. From 1994 to 2006 he wrote numerous articles for Firefighting in Canada, the national fire service magazine. He has previously published a chapbook, The Protected Worker, the story of his grandfather, John Parry, who left the Winnipeg Fire Department in 1915 to enlist in the Canadian Army. Warriors for the Working Day was born in a memoir-writing workshop given on Saturna Island by Bill Schermbrucker, Professor Emeritus, Capilano University.

In addition to writing, Wiznuk, now retired, likes gardening, rowing his small boat, walking, playing chess with his laptop computer (he admits he cheats "outrageously"), and watching old movies. He continues to live on Saturna Island, where he enjoys "the quiet roads, the decent people, the way this community will pull together, the quiet, dark nights (no streetlights), the better to see the stars by, and the way that islanders will give you lots of space, but be there for you if you need it."

In 2012 Wiznuk received the Fire Exemplary Service medal, for twenty years of honourable service, from the Office of the Governor General of Canada. Read More Read Less