Facilitated by Deputy Chief Debbie Higgins, Deputy Chief Louise Hine-Schmidt, Batallion Chief Michele Fitzsimmons, Fire Chief Monique Belair and Deputy Chief Celene Lemire
Is the narrative on women in power changing? What are the policies and practices that support women in leadership? What skills and experiences are essential to support women to advance to leadership positions? FSWO is pleased to bring a panel of highly regarded women leaders in the fire service to share their individual experiences and the challenges of the path to success.
Debbie Higgins is a Deputy Fire Chief with Toronto Fire Services, with the portfolio of Administrative and Mechanical Services. In this capacity, she is responsible for finance and budgeting processes, labour relations, quartermaster, facilities, the TFS medical office, and providing professional support for the procurement and maintenance of both apparatus and equipment. Debbie previously held the portfolios of Fire Prevention and Public Education, and more recently Professional Development and Training, including Special Operations (HUSAR and CBRNE). Prior to her promotion to Deputy in 2010, Debbie spent eleven years as an Executive Officer for Toronto Fire, working in the Office of the Fire Chief. She also previously worked with the City of Mississauga as a Business Planner, where her work included various strategic projects for the Community Services department, including fire. Before joining the municipal sector, Debbie spent five years working as a consultant undertaking social planning studies, including feasibility studies, master plans, emergency response plans, marketing plans and organizational reviews.
Louise is a Deputy Chief with Ottawa Fire Services and is one of the first of three women firefighters hired in 1999 in the City of Ottawa. She is trained as a technician in Rope Rescue, Confined Space, Elevator Rescue, and Extrication. She was the editor of the OFS Rope Rescue Manual.
Louise is one of the three founding members of FSWO who also helped to establish Camp FFIT(Female Firefighters In Training) which has served as a model for other fire services from across Canada. Louise is honoured to have served as the first President of FSWO from 2009-2011 and then again from 2015-2019.
Battalion Chief Michele Fitzsimmons joined the NYC Fire Department (FDNY) in May of 2001. She is currently assigned to North Queens but working in the Bureau of Operations. She is the Co-founder and former instructor of Phoenix Firecamp. She is a graduate of the FDNY Officers Management Institute (FOMI). Since 2019 she has served for a second time (previously 2002-2004) as President of FireFLAG/EMS, the FDNY's LGBTQ+ organization. From 2013-2015 she was an instructor at FDNY's Probationary Firefighter School. She has been a Guest Lecturer at University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Business School and Graduate School of Education.
Fire Chief Monique Belair is a Fire Service Leader with 30+ years of knowledge and experience and has always been committed to facilitating and educating young women about the opportunities a career with the fire service. Monique currently serves Director of Emergency Services and Fire Chief for Belleville Fire and Emergency Services.
Chief Belair began her career as a Crash Rescue/Structural Firefighter with the Canadian Armed Forces in 1986 and was one of five females serving on military bases throughout Canada. She continued her career progression working in every role of the Fire Service; Communications, Prevention, Education, Investigations and Office of the Fire Marshal where she was able to obtain insight on fire service cultures from the farthest northern rural communities to large urban city centres.
Celene Lemire has more than 20 years experience in community service, government relations, strategic design, operational planning and leadership. Over the last decade, she has focused on equity and inclusion work in large emergency service organizations, addressing systemic issues, supporting membership and operational teams by identifying inequities in policies, practices and programs. Celene has conducted internal cultural assessments, equity reviews and lead strategic plans focused on addressing barriers and identifying issues in accessibility. She has lead equity audits and systems change initiatives within recruitment processes, training design and curriculum content, promotional processes, infrastructure audits and policy reviews.
She is a member of the Municipal Equity Council, the UN Safe Cities working group and the National DEI Community of Practice for Fire Rescue Services. Celene was a Top 40 Under 40 award winner, a graduate of the University of Calgary, has a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology and is currently a Deputy Chief with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services. Celene and believes strongly in the power and impact of lived experiences, and much of her work is in connection and collaboration with the communities she serves. Celene has facilitated session with the BC Association of Fire Chiefs, the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and with multiple municipalities across Western Canada.