By Paul Junor
Brampton Fire & Emergencies Services (tweeted @BramptonFireES) that they would be celebrating BHM by having one of their fire trucks wrapped around. “The truck celebrates Black inventors and their contributions to the international fire service. If you spot it out and about, and it’s safe to do so, snap a pic and share it with us.”
The idea of having a wrapped Brampton fire truck to celebrate BHM was Michelle John’s idea. She is a Fire/Life Safety Education Officer for the City of Brampton, and has been with the Brampton Fire and Emergencies Services for over 26 years. She was hired initially as an administrative assistant and continued her education by enrolling in the diploma and certificate courses to increase her competency in fire safety and prevention. She had to balance her studies while working full-time in her present job. She has been educating Bramptonians for over eleven years about fire safety.
In November 2021, Michelle John was awarded Premier’s Award for Community Services for her passionate commitment to the safety of the people of Flower City.
“When I got accepted at Sheridan as a student, I never thought there’d be a day when I’d receive an award in recognition of my work. I hope this award inspires women of colour to see the value in working hard and the value in investing in themselves through college education. I’d like people in my community to see that anything is possible and they’re not limited because of the colour of their skin.”
Michelle John graduated from the Legal Office Administration program at Sheridan College in 2021. Janet Morrison, President and Vice-Chancellor of Sheridan College is supportive of Michelle receiving the Premier Award. He states, “We’re so proud of Michelle’s commitment to the community and the life-saving work that she does. She is an incredible role model for our students and graduates. Her resilience and determination are deeply inspiring, and her career success is an important reminder of what’s possible when people stay focused on realizing their goals.”
She was the first Black female to be hired in the fire department. She was promoted to an administrative position in October 2022. When the idea came to her to have the fire truck wrapped for BHM, she did some preliminary investigations and found out it was never done before in Canada or globally. She approached her colleagues: Ravjot Chhatwal, Sikh Division Chief, and Ryan Agard who were supportive of her idea.
Michelle believes that it is important that there be historical documentation of this important occasion in the history of the Black community in Brampton. She uses her work in the community as a forum not just to provide information about fire safety but to show the importance of representation. This is particularly vital for Black youths and children who are considering a career in the fire service. Michelle states, “That was my goal through this idea to represent the input to the fire service from the Black community.”
I interviewed Michelle and she shared with me her stories, experiences, successes and accomplishments during her over 16 years with Brampton Fire & Emergencies Services. She recalled the early years when she started as an administrative assistant and many of the challenges she faced. As the only Black female in a largely White environment, she experienced racism, obstacles, and setbacks. She told me that out of approximately 500 employees, there was only four of a racialized background.
Michelle moved to Brampton in August 1978, and after her marriage dissolved, she became a single parent of three boys. She is grateful for the opportunities that her work provided as it enabled her to spend quality time with her boys and nurture them to overcome the inherent challenges of: systemic racism, marginalization, stigmatization, and racial discrimination that they faced daily. Her boys are currently 29, 27 and 22 years old.
Michelle’s rise to her current role is a testament to her resilience, hard work, determination, and perseverance. She was born on the twin island of Trinidad and Tobago. She states, “I am Trinidadian by birth and Tobagobian by heart.” She is passionate about her Trini roots, and for the past ten years, she has raised the T&T flag at the annual flag-raising ceremony held in Brampton to mark Trinidad & Tobago Independence on August 31st.
Michelle brings excitement to her job as she educates the wider community about the importance of fire safety and tries to encourage underrepresented groups to pursue a career in the Fire Department and Emergencies Services. She knows that representation matters and she envisions a future where it will become, “More diverse and equitable as hiring practices are expanded to recruit more community members.” Michelle is optimistic about the future and will continue to build community.
