How did you get interested in becoming a firefighter? "I became interested in becoming a firefighter as a result of the service my twin sister Jesse has given to the department. Regardless of the different lives we lead as adults, my sister and I have a common commitment to our community. In the same manner as winning Miss Indian World, I had to ask myself the question “how do I see myself contributing to my people?” Firefighting is more than fighting fires, it is being the first on a scene that is often the worst day of peoples’ lives. It is becoming another chance at life for someone who is in trouble. It is also community building, going into schools to inform students about fire safety and how they can be responsible with the safety of their families.

What kind of training is required to be a firefighter? Training to be a firefighter varies given the type of department you hope to work for. Department duties can vary from being small volunteer services to large city scale infrastructures that require many stations, teams, shift workers; training for small houses and skyscrapers are completely different scenarios! There are excellent college training programs available, and also to be a firefighter is to be a lifelong learner. No single situation is the same as another, and you can never learn everything you need to know in a classroom. You also develop a sense of trust and commitment to the members of your team to keep each other safe and get the job done safely and efficiently, no matter the situation.

In my own community of Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, we are a volunteer fire department, with four stations distributed throughout the territory. We have full time shift workers and are primarily a volunteer department. Our training is weekly, and we are currently holding programming that is standardizing all personnel; probationary officers, lieutenants and captains.

What kinds of issues do you deal with as a fire fighter? My primary goal is to secure immediate safety for those who are in harm (this includes my fellow firefighters, because we focus on each other’s safety when doing a job). This can be in a medical emergency (when assisting paramedics), in car accidents, accidents on water, and of course fire. Human life is the primary objective no matter what the situation. It’s always harder when young people or children are involved, but we find comfort from each other and from knowing that our presence is giving a sense of relief to both patients and their families. When you are on a scene where injuries occur, you can always do something to show families that you care, and are trying your best to make a patient comfortable. It may seem small at the time but it often means the world to a family to see you working hard to save a life or make comfortable a person who may very well not survive.

Note: The house burning in the above photo is part of a training exercise and is NOT A FAMILY HOME.