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Just over two decades after joining the Muskoday Volunteer Fire Department, Michelle Vandevord can now lay claim to being elected the first female president of the Aboriginal Firefighters’ Association of Canada.
Born and raised in Prince Albert, the 49-year-old recalled the decision to move to Muskoday 25 years ago was based on a desire to help her community. After working in home care and at the community’s school, Vandevord was encouraged to try something out of her normal comfort zone.
“It was because of one person that I am where I am and I owe that to Randy Bair,” she said, explaining the former captain of the Muskoday unit was the person who encouraged her to come out and practise. “I went to my first meeting after that and the rest is, as they say, kind of history.”
While she remains today with the fire department, Vandevord’s talents were recognized early. Richard Kent of the Saskatchewan First Nations Emergency Management team hired her as an officer. She has since been promoted to associate director.
Vandevord thanked Kent for taking a chance on a female firefighter.
“The Muskoday Fire Department is very well-known across Saskatchewan, especially in our First Nations communities, because we have always been so progressive, having our fire trucks and a mutual aid agreement with Birch Hills,” she said.
Knowing he was getting closer to retirement, Kent took Vandevord to an association meeting last year, when she was voted in as the Saskatchewan representative. A year later, she was elected president and holds the distinction of being the first woman to hold both titles.
Recalling her early years at Muskoday, Vandevord said she was often the only female.
“Being able to be in the community and other little girls seeing me when I’m at a fire scene or have my turnout gear on, you know it’s being that role model that you can be anything you want to be,” she said.
Vandevord described her new position as a steep learning curve but added she was very proud to help lead a national fire prevention program. The new program will focus as much on educating youth at schools as it will home owners.
“Growing up in the fire service on reserve, you know what those issues are. Fire prevention is very close to my heart,” she said. “The way I see it, we shouldn’t have to respond to fires; all fires are preventable.”
In addition to thanking Kent and Randy Bair, Vandevord also acknowledged the Prince Albert Grand Council, which was responsible for the creation of the Saskatchewan Fire Nations Emergency Management.
Bair has fond memories of meeting Vandevord over two decades ago. He acknowledged pushing the then-28-year-old a bit harder than the men on the team.
“She’s kind of bull-headed. Anytime she puts her mind to doing something, she usually carries it out so it’s really good to see Michelle where she is today,” he said.
In response to the credit he received from Vandevord, Bair said some people just need a little nudge and expressed how proud he was of his former student.
Nigel Maxwell, paNOW
