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How this photo spread 'like wildfire' and earned $5K for the firefighters

Some pictures are worth a thousand words, but a recent photograph of North Sydney Fire and Rescue earned them $5,000.

North Sydney Fire and Rescue turn AA Munro Insurance photo contest into a new rescue vehicle

Jon Tattrie · CBC News ·
Local photographer Nikki White captured this dramatic sky over the North Sydney Fire and Rescue squad. (Courtesy Nikki White)

Some pictures are worth a thousand words, but a recent photograph of North Sydney Fire and Rescue earned them $5,000. 

AA Munro Insurance held a fire-hall photo contest and drew entrants from around Nova Scotia, with the top prize going to the photo with the most likes and shares on social media.

The company held the contest late last year and posted North Sydney's winning shot to its own Facebook page Friday.

Asked what makes his crew so photogenic, Chief Lloyd MacIntosh laughed before crediting photographer Nikki White. 

"She gets the best out of it. We're a good, down-to-earth bunch, and it just shows the personality of our people," he said.

A community that likes and shares

He also credited the community, which rallied around their active Facebook page, with sharing the image and voting.

"It was picked up pretty fast and then it went off like wildfire."

The fire department used the money to buy a small emergency-response truck, replacing their 2002 truck with a 2017 model. MacIntosh said it will help them respond to accidents on highways and to medical calls.

It's the second time North Sydney Fire and Rescue has won, and they're already plotting a photo for next year. MacIntosh won't show his hand, but does say it will involve cute children. 

Here's a look at some of the other entrants. You can see the full offering on AA Munro's Facebook page. 

The Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department showed nerves of steel to pose for this photo. We assume they noticed what was going on in the background. (Courtesy Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department)
The Blue Mountain and District Volunteer Fire Department took an artistic angle on the contest with this photo called All in a Hard Day's Work. They wanted to show how volunteer firefighters are regular community members too. (Courtesy Blue Mountain and District Volunteer Fire Department)
This photo, called Every Little Boy's Dream, comes from the St. Peter's Fire Department. (Courtesy St. Peter's Fire Department)
The Hubbards District Fire Department shines on a dark night. (Courtesy Hubbards District Fire Department)
The Canning Volunteer Fire Department got noted fire photographer Brian Taylor to shoot their portrait. (Courtesy Brian Taylor)
The Tatamagouche Fire Department showed off their fleet in this photo. Check out the vintage vehicle in the back right. (Courtesy Tatamagouche Fire Department)
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