BC FIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
This year’s (2024) theme was "Shifting Culture in the Fire Service, Building Healthy Relationships, and Advocating Together.” It highlighted the need for collaboration in the fire service. By fostering trust and unity, we aim to strengthen relationships and ensure the resilience and safety of our teams.
2024’s agenda featured…
Keynote: Erin Jones
We were deeply honoured to have Erin Jones as our keynote speaker at this year’s BC Fire Leadership Summit, where she shared powerful insights on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Erin challenged leaders in the fire service to create safe spaces that empower everyone to show up, be brave, and be heard. Her message? Change starts here, with us—building a culture in our fire halls that reflects understanding, inclusivity, and hope for future generations.
Through her stories and life experiences, Erin illuminated what it means to rise above adversity and to lead with resilience. Her words are a powerful reminder of our responsibility to show young, aspiring fire fighters that they belong in this community.
The Shifting Culture of The Fire Service, moderated by Erin Jones
Panelists: President Katrina Davison - L18, Deputy Chief Shelley Morris - Surrey, Executive Registrar Joel Woznikoski - L1763, Fire Chief Mike Kaye- Saanich.
"Thank you, Erin, for your wisdom, authenticity, and the hope you've instilled in us. You've given us the courage to make a lasting difference in our communities." – Todd Schierling, President, BC Professional Fire Fighters Association
Keynote Trevor Sones: Building Healthy Labour Relationships
Trevor Sones is a mediator and conflict resolution expert with over 15 years of experience, specializing in labour relations, collective bargaining, and grievance mediation. He’s facilitated over 2,000 mediations across public and private sectors and serves as an Adjunct Professor at UBC’s Sauder School of Business, where he teaches conflict management and negotiation. Trevor holds a Master’s in Dispute Resolution from the University of Victoria and advanced training in negotiation from Harvard Law School. His approach blends research-driven communication strategies with practical conflict resolution skills.
“Thank you Trevor for an interactive session and challenging our group on ways to collaborate and build trust in a labour-management environment.” — Todd Schierling, President, BC Professional Fire Fighters Association
Safety Session #1: Navigating Mental Health Challenges in The Workplace
Panel Host: Steve Farina
Victoria Fire Deputy Chief Steve Serbic
Nanaimo Local 905 President Chad Porter
WorkSafe BC Senior Manager Client Services in Special Care Services and Case Management Services Lisa Smith
Session #2: Work-Life Balance of a Fire Service Leader
Panel Host: Steve Farina (45 mins)
North Vancouver District Fire Chief Mike Danks
Dr. Duncan Shields
Arjuna George
Safety Session: Return on Investment (ROI) on Better Mental Health and Wellbeing for Western Canada Professional fire fighters - ' Call for Action’
Dr. Mahesh Nagarajan. Professor of Operation Research, UBC Sauder School of Business.
Safety Session #3: BC Fire Fighter Resiliency and Occupational Awareness Training
Panel Host: Steve Serbic
Dr. Duncan Shields
Matt Johnston
Safety Session #4: Cancer in the Fire Service
Neil McMillan - IAFF Director of Science and Research. Health and Safety Division and a Fire Fighter for the City of Ottawa
Safety Session #5: WorkSafe BC
Dr. Ashley Spetch - Chief Medical Health Officer
Lisa Smith - Senior Manager Client Services in Special Care Services and Case Management Services
Safety Session #6: Mental Health and Wellness Monitoring, Screening and Support - Best Practices
Panel Host: Steve Farina
Fort St. John Fire Chief Bob Norton
BCPFFA Northern Vice President Matt Crompton
Matt Johnston - First Responder Health
Jessica Bowie - Chief Human Resources Officer City of Fort St. John
BC Fire Leadership Committee 2024
Back row: Karen Fry Lee Depellegrin, Brian Catinus, Chad Porter, Mike Kay, Katrina Davison, Travis Whiting, Tim Doyle Phil Lemire
Front Row: Jason Cairney, Jordan Sparrow, Dan Derby, Todd Schierling, Darcie Sibbald
BACKGROUND
In 2019, the Fire Chiefs' Association of BC (FCABC) and the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Association (BCPFFA) held the inaugural BC Fire Leadership Summit. This was an opportunity for leaders to gain a greater understanding of our respective challenges, with a focus on successful labour relations. Attendees will gain knowledge about how to foster and enhance cooperative and collaborative working relationships between both associations and local labour management teams.
