Sask. Indigenous firefighter receives national leadership award

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In her addition to her work locally, she also sits on two national committees and works on such files as the Emergency Management Assistance Program, and advocates for changes for structural firefighters on reserve who she said remain very underfunded.

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Explaining how proud she is to contribute at both the provincial and national levels, Vandevord said none of it would be possible had Prince Albert Grand Council not taken a chance on a female firefighter from on-reserve.

“I’m always forever grateful for the Prince Albert Grand Council for giving me the opportunity to use my voice regionally and create change and help in Saskatchewan and also nationally,” she said.

The Lynn Orstad Award, named in honour of the late Lynn Orstad, a respected leader and advocate for wildfire resilience, honours trailblazing Canadian women who have made significant, lasting contributions to wildfire risk reduction, education and community advocacy.

Award recipients received a personalized award and a $1,000 grant to support continued wildfire resiliency efforts in their communities.

“There’s always a little girl somewhere watching and that’s who I’ve been doing it for, for 27 years.”

The 2026 Wildfire and Resiliency Training Summit, held from April 8-12 in Victoria B.C., brought together more than 700 wildfire and emergency management professionals from across Canada, including First Nations representatives, fire departments, local governments and wildfire specialists.

This year’s other recipients are:

* Danyta Welch, Manager of Local Program Services, Union of British Columbia Municipalities, recognized for advancing wildfire resilience by promoting FireSmart programs, securing vital funding and equipping communities across B.C. with tools to reduce wildfire risk.

* Colleen Ross, AFE Wildland Fire Ecologist and Burn Boss, honoured for her leadership in prescribed fire, mentorship and community-led wildfire resilience initiatives developed in collaboration with Indigenous Nations and local governments.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell