Introduction to the FSWO Toolkit

In 2018, Fire Service Women Ontario (FSWO) hosted a round table of Fire Chiefs from across the province to come together and discuss gender equity, diversity and inclusion in the fire service.   The information gathered from that event has assisted FSWO in their research of women’s lived experience in the fire service. 

 This session brings together the ground-breaking research, and information gathered over the past three years culminating in a toolkit developed for fire services to use in understanding and reducing barriers for woman and other underrepresented groups in the fire service.  This toolkit offers practical modules and templates to help fire departments reach their equity, diversity and inclusion goals.

 The following presentation will be an overview of the toolkit, focusing on the two most requested sections; recruitment and hiring.  Through an interactive discussion, session participants will engage and learn to use the toolkit within their own fire service.  The knowledge gained will be used to assist your fire service in aligning its recruitment and hiring strategies, with diversity and inclusion policies, giving you practical ideas to create implementation plans.

Lydia has worked in municipal government since 2000, and the fire service since 2008. Lydia holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Western Ontario and is currently completing her Fire Service Executive Management Certificate at Humber College. As a career firefighter and a fire prevention officer, she has actively worked to promote the fire service as a career choice to women and underrepresented groups.