CAMBRIDGE The city has said farewell to a former fire chief who helped build a stronger fire department through training and fire prevention and also fought for justice for his murdered daughter and grandchildren.

An antique fire truck led the hearses of Doug Pollington and his wife Margaret Pollington to Central Presbyterian Church on Monday morning and firefighters formed an honour guard.

Pollington and his wife died within a day of each other last week. He was 87, she was 84. They had been married 66 years.

While the couple are known for being the in-laws of the notorious killer Jon Rallo — who murdered the couple’s daughter and two grandchildren in August 1976 — and fighting to keep him in jail after his conviction in 1977, Pollington also served as Cambridge’s fire chief after the amalgamation of Galt, Preston, Hespeler and Blair in 1973.

About 100 people attended the service, including firefighters from Cambridge and Hamilton. Pollington began his career in 1949 with the Hamilton department and served as Cambridge’s chief from 1974 to 1984.

Former Cambridge fire chief Bill Brown said Pollington concentrated on fire prevention and training. He also updated equipment.

“We had things the Toronto fire department wished they had,” said retired firefighter Jim Westwood. “We, in many ways, were on the leading edge.”

The Pollingtons’ daughter Sandra was killed by Rallo in their Hamilton home. He also killed their granddaughter Stephanie, 5, and grandson Jason, 6. He dumped the bodies in area waterways, but the bodies of Sandra and Stephanie were found within days. Jason has never been found. Rallo, who denies killing his family, was sentenced to life and now lives in a Sudbury halfway house.

The Pollingtons spent decades fighting for justice for their family and advocating for victims’ rights in Canada. They lobbied for more access to information for crime victims and never missed an opportunity to remind the parole board about Rallo’s deeds.

Pollington headed the International Association of Fire Chiefs and travelled the world with his wife to attend conferences. He became friends with leaders in fire service and even heads of states. Ronald Reagan once called to ask him to speak in Washington.