August 17, 2021
It has been quite the journey and emotional month of July. July also marked the 35th anniversary of when I started my career as a professional wildland firefighter.
Red Lake # 7 fire in 1986 was the year that I started the fire management program as a firefighter. When I was asked to help with the dangerous wildfire situation in northwestern Ontario, I didn’t hesitate to serve and protect. When I found out that I was being deployed for fire duty to Red Lake, I was not only excited but also reflected on all of the fire assignments I had during my career. I attribute all of my success to my education; if it wasn’t for education, then I wouldn’t have had success in the natural resources sector not only as an Anishinaabe Forestry technician but also as a firefighter with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR).