Practical consulting, advisory and fire department training built for rural and municipal volunteer fire services in Atlantic Canada, grounded in real experience from the fire hall to the council table.
Black Helmet Fire supports municipalities and volunteer fire departments with practical fire service planning, operational reviews, governance, leadership, and training. We help communities understand how their fire service is actually functioning, identify where risks and gaps exist, and build realistic plans that fit their people, resources, and local realities.
Long-term direction, capital planning and 5-year roadmaps that survive turnover in council and command.
Independent assessment of response capability, staffing, apparatus and coverage, with actionable findings.
Reporting structures, officer development and recruitment & retention strategy for volunteer systems.
By-laws, SOP/SOG development and compliance, aligning departments with provincial and NFPA standards.
Apparatus lifecycle and equipment replacement plans, reserve-fund strategy and procurement support.
Comprehensive, third-party reviews of service levels, boundaries and structure for councils and CAOs.
Turning review findings and recommendations into prioritized, budgeted action, with hands-on support to help councils and departments get it done.
Our focus is on clear expectations, sustainable service delivery, stronger leadership, consistent operating practices, and better alignment between councils, municipal administration, fire chiefs, and firefighters. Through evidence-based Fire Service Reviews, operational SOP development, leadership support, and practical training programs, we help fire departments improve safety, coordination, and service delivery to the communities they serve.
Practical, professional and proven training delivered at your hall, on your apparatus, designed for the realities of rural response.
Group and multi-department bookings available. Contact us for a custom quote and to schedule.
Led from inside the fire service, not a textbook.
Designed for municipal volunteer systems like yours.
Recommendations you can actually implement.
Independent, third-party perspective you can trust.
Stronger departments and safer communities.
We start with your people, your context and the problems you're actually facing.
Objective review of operations, governance, equipment and capacity.
Clear, prioritized recommendations that are practical and budget-aware.
Hands-on support to put the plan into action and make it stick.
New to the file? A short conversation early can protect service levels and your budget for years. Let's talk before the next apparatus or boundary decision lands on your desk.
Start the Conversation
Black Helmet Fire is led by a working fire service leader with extensive experience across emergency response, public infrastructure and municipal governance. As a serving Deputy Fire Chief and a recent municipal Councillor and Deputy Mayor, Jarret has worked these issues from both sides of the table, helping shape his municipality's strategic plan and setting direction for his own fire department as part of its leadership team.
That perspective, from the pump panel to the council table, is exactly what rural departments and the municipalities that fund them need to make confident, defensible decisions about people, equipment and service levels.
Black Helmet Fire brings together fireground command, municipal administration, and volunteer service experience, so departments get practical guidance grounded in how things actually work.
Municipal administrative professional and active firefighter with experience in municipal policy and procedure development, operational documentation, fire-service administration, records management, communications, and firefighter training.
Kristin currently works in an administrative management role within municipal Public Works, where her responsibilities include researching, reviewing, rewriting, compiling, and maintaining municipal policies, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs), and operational documentation.
She also serves as an active firefighter and administrative lead with the Keswick Valley Fire Department, providing a combination of municipal administrative expertise and first-hand understanding of volunteer fire-service operations.
Senior fire-service leader with extensive experience in volunteer fire-service operations, organizational leadership, emergency response, municipal communications, training, and public service.
Ken currently serves as Fire Chief of the Keswick Valley Fire Department and has progressed through multiple fire-service leadership positions including Captain, District Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, and Fire Chief. His experience provides a practical understanding of the operational, administrative, personnel, training, equipment, and municipal responsibilities involved in leading a rural volunteer fire service.
Ken also brings approximately 14-15 years of municipal experience with the City of Fredericton, providing emergency and public-service communications and coordinating a broad range of municipal service requests and public concerns.
Tell us about your department and what you're working toward. We'll get back to you with next steps, availability and a tailored quote.