GUELPH,
ON, May 1, 2024 /CNW/ -
Co‑operators, FireSmart BC, and FireSmart Alberta have come
together to recognize women who have contributed to furthering
wildfire resiliency in their community, agency, or province through
the Lynn Orstad Award – Women in Wildfire Resiliency.
This annual award was created in memory of Lynn Orstad to
honour women who have made significant contributions in wildfire
resilience and advocacy efforts. It is presented each year at the
Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit, an event focused on
educating participants in various wildfire-related topics and
enhancing the effectiveness of wildfire professionals. While last
year's award was presented to three outstanding professionals, this
year's award was presented to five.
Lynn Orstad
Lynn Orstad was a highly respected fire safety advocate
dedicated to furthering wildfire resiliency across all
jurisdictions and levels of government. As a female trailblazer in
wildfire risk mitigation, she began her career in emergency
management and continued working with local community groups and
fire departments before eventually retiring as Chair of FireSmart
Canada.
Throughout Lynn's career, and even in her personal life,
she remained passionate and dedicated to building community and
furthering education around wildfire resiliency. She also acted as
a mentor to many; including young women that sought and built a
career in wildfire risk reduction.
Her unexpected passing in 2021 prompted the opportunity to
honour her memory and pass the torch to other female wildfire
advocates to help continue the path of making our communities more
resilient and encourage other women to enter into careers in
emergency management and disaster risk reduction.
Learn more about the Lynn Orstad Award at:
https://firesmartbc.ca/lynnorstadaward/
2024
Winners
This year, five outstanding women in the world of wildfire
resilience were presented with the Lynn Orstad Award:
Kelsey Winter — Manager of Wildfire Operations,
FPInnovations
"Kelsey is a leader in wildfire resiliency, having blazed
the trail for FireSmart BC from relative infancy to the expanded
and comprehensive program it is now. Under her leadership, the
FireSmart BC program expanded from the FCNRP to encompass many
other programs, such as the Home Partners Program and Plant
Program. She continues her efforts through her work and research
with FPInnovations." — Brittany
Seibert, City of
Penticton
Kara
McCurdy — Wildfire Mitigation Program Manager, Halifax
Regional Fire and Emergency
"Kara is a one-woman show in Nova Scotia. On almost no budget and zero
assistance, she has single-handedly implemented many FireSmart
programs, promoted wildfire resiliency actions in many communities,
and engaged organizations to participate in various mitigation
programs. She's the one voice that is inspiring others across the
province to act — and they are acting." — Magda Zachara, CIFFC and FireSmart
Canada
Cathy MacKenzie — Wildfire Mitigation
Specialist, First Nations' Emergency Services
Society
"Cathy was hired by the Regional District of Central
Okanagan 20 years ago to manage fire rehabilitation and mitigation
works following the calamitous Okanagan Mountain Park wildfire.
Since then, she has applied for—and been funded—millions of dollars
to mitigate fuels, reach out to the public, educate residents, and
advocate for FireSmart. She continues her advocacy efforts today
with the First Nations Emergency Services Society." — Robert Mitchell, First Nations Emergency
Services Society
Laura Stewart — FireSmart Specialist, Government
of Alberta
"Laura is very passionate about FireSmart and pushing all
seven disciplines. She served as President of FireSmart Canada for
six years, spearheading projects like Wildfire Community
Preparedness Day in 2015. She also launched and updated the
FireSmart Canada Home Ignition Zone model in 2016, updated the
FireSmart Begins at Home Guide, launched the FireSmart Begins at
Home app, and developed several FireSmart Canada initiatives
including the website, resources, and social media platforms." —
Brian Wynn, Whitecourt Fire Department
Melanie Stutt — Emergency Coordinator, Simpcw
First Nation and Deputy Fire Chief, Chu Chua Volunteer Fire
Department
"Melanie stands out as a formidable advocate for wildfire
resiliency. Her proactive stance towards wildfire suppression and
response in Simpcw is unmistakable, highlighted by her pivotal role
in establishing the Indigenous Initial Attack Wildfire Crew.
Melanie's unwavering commitment to community safety is evident,
coupled with a dedication to implementing innovative strategies in
the relentless pursuit of addressing wildfire challenges. Her
advocacy efforts truly embody a proactive and forward-thinking
approach to community resilience. — Ron
Lampreau, Simpcw First Nation Councillor
About
Co‑operators
Co‑operators is a leading Canadian financial services
co-operative, offering multi-line insurance and investment
products, services, and personalized advice to help Canadians build
their financial strength and security. Co‑operators has more than
$62 billion in assets under
administration. Co‑operators has been providing trusted guidance to
Canadians for the past 79 years. The organization is well known for
its community involvement and its commitment to sustainability.
Achieving carbon neutral equivalency in 2020, the organization is
committed to net-zero emissions in its operations and investments
by 2040, and 2050, respectively.
Co‑operators is also ranked as a
Corporate Knights' Best 50 Corporate Citizen in Canada. For more information, please
visit:
www.cooperators.ca.
Co‑operators® is a registered trademark of The
Co‑operators Group Limited.
© 2024 The Co‑operators Group
Limited.
About FireSmart
BC
FireSmart BC is a provincial program committed to reducing
the negative impacts of wildfire. It is designed to be the go-to
resource for individuals, neighbourhoods, and communities looking
to protect themselves and their properties from wildfire. Their
resources are based on scientific research that shows that
performing simple FireSmart tasks can make properties far more
resilient. For more information, please visit:
https://firesmartbc.ca/
About FireSmart
Alberta
Founded in 2020, FireSmart Alberta grew out of the top
recommendation of the Government of Alberta
Spring 2019 Wildfire Review Final Report. Their goal is to
foster an all-of-society approach to wildfire resiliency in
Alberta. FireSmart Alberta works
collaboratively and in alignment with FireSmart Canada as a
provincial chapter. For more information, please visit:
https://firesmartalberta.ca/
For further information:
media@cooperators.ca
SOURCE The Co-operators Group Limited