An Ermineskin Cree Nation from the Maskwacis area in central Alberta, Tom has been in the Fire Services going on 40 years. He started as firefighter with Muskwachees Fire Department for 10 and half years, then moved on to become the Director of Treaty First Nation Firefighters Association to provide Fire Inspection and Investigation services to First Nations within the Province of Alberta which he did for nearly 5 years.
He then applied for and became Fire Chief for the Muskwachees Fire Dept. in Hobbema (Maskwacis) for a brief time and then moved on to become the Fire Protection and Emergency Services Manager for the Siksika Nation Fire Department. In recent years, Tom has taken the positions of Director of Emergency Services for Siksika Nation, and First Nation Liaison Officer for the Province of Alberta’s Office of the Fire Commissioner. In addition to the role of Director of Emergency Services, he was the Director of Emergency Management for the Nation for 17 years. Tom is one of the few First Nation Safety Codes Officers under the Fire Discipline with the highest accreditation currently available. Currently Tom is in his 23rd year with Siksika Nation Emergency Services, devoting himself to this position to the best of his ability.
In his spare time, he teaches and facilitates Firefighting courses, both NFPA 1001 and Officer Training to coincide with the NFPA 1021 Standards, in addition to standards for students to become Fire Inspectors and Fire Investigators. To date he has taught and seen many First Nation firefighters obtain their Pro-board and IFSAC Gold Seals showing they have met the Professional standard of becoming a firefighter, officer, inspectors and investigators. Tom has also seen some former students and casual firefighters that served this Nation move on to great things, an example is the Fire Chief of Medicine Hat and other now firefighters, fire officers, inspectors and investigators that are employed within other full-time departments and Provincial Governments. It has been a goal, to train as many First Nation personnel to take the charge and make positive change for their respective communities.
Tom has also served as the past President of the Aboriginal Firefighters Association of Canada, and of the Fire Investigation Association of Alberta Chapter 138 of the IAAI. (International Association of Arson Investigators). Tom also sits on many Provincial and Federal Boards to advocate for the improvement of Fire Services to all First Nations and funding improvements for capacity building.
When he has spare time, he is still a master scuba diver trainer and craves traveling to warm waters to dive wrecks and colorful reefs.
