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Humans behind the uniform, Regina, SK (2026)

01/26/2026

Firefighters Assisting EMS: One Team, One Mission

In Regina, the role of the firefighter continues to evolve to meet the needs of our community. Today, all newly hired firefighters are trained and certified as Primary Care Paramedics, strengthening the seamless integration between fire and EMS response.

This approach ensures that when help arrives, advanced medical care begins immediately often within minutes. Firefighters bring medical expertise, scene control, and rapid access to patients, while paramedics deliver critical assessment, treatment, and transport. Together, they form a coordinated system focused on outcomes, safety, and compassion. Regina Fire responded to 2000 EMS calls in 2025.

Within a modern fire department, paramedics are essential. They provide frontline medical care, support high risk and complex calls, and work shoulder to shoulder with suppression crews to manage dynamic scenes. This dual capability improves response efficiency, enhances patient care, and reinforces a culture of teamwork and shared responsibility.

01/24/2026

Working emergencies in Saskatchewan winters
When it’s -30, the wind’s cutting sideways, and everything freezes on contact, all first responders feel it. Firefighters, paramedics, police, different roles, same cold, same commitment.

Gear gets heavier. Fingers stop cooperating. Radios crackle. Vehicles don’t always want to play nice. And yet… the job still gets done.

That’s where teamwork and professionalism shine.
Quiet nods. Short words. Everyone knowing their role and trusting the people beside them. Fire crews battling fire and ice at the same time. Paramedics working patient care in conditions that fight them every second. Police standing out there long after most people have gone inside and shut the door.

And yeah there’s humour. There has to be. If you can’t laugh when your eyelashes freeze or your coffee turns to a slushy in five minutes, winter will eat you alive physically and mentally.

Saskatchewan winters don’t respect titles. They respect preparation, calm under pressure, and crews who show up for each other.
Cold conditions. Professional responses. Strong teams getting it done together.

01/22/2026

I advocate for EMS.
I always have.
And some days… if I’m being honest… it feels like I’m beating a dead horse.

The same conversations.
The same struggles.
The same reminders that the system doesn’t always move as fast as the people inside it.

But here’s the part that never changes and never gets old.

EMS matters.

Every single shift, paramedics step into people’s worst moments and bring calm, competence, and compassion with them. They’re there when fear takes over. When time matters. When someone’s world is falling apart and help arrives in the form of a uniform and a steady voice.

That impact?
It’s immeasurable.

Most EMS professionals didn’t choose this career for recognition, pay, or praise. They chose it because they wanted to make a difference. Because helping people felt like purpose. Because being the one who shows up mattered more than being seen.

And they still do.

There’s pride in the job.
There’s skill, intelligence, humour, teamwork, and heart.
There are lives saved, pain eased, families comforted, and moments where everything goes right because someone trained, prepared, and cared.

Yes advocacy can be exhausting.
Yes change can feel slow.

But the career itself?
It’s powerful. It’s meaningful. It’s needed.

So even when it feels repetitive, I’ll keep saying it:
EMS professionals are the backbone of emergency care.
They make a difference every day often without anyone ever knowing their names.

And that’s exactly why they deserve to be seen.

01/22/2026

Captain Mike.

Solid leader.
An all-around great guy.

The kind of captain who chased his kids through every season of sports, then showed up the next shift ready to chase problems for his crew. Family first, people always. He understands that leadership doesn’t stop when the tones drop and it doesn’t start with rank.

Captain Mike always tried to do the best for his firefighters. He listened. He backed his people. He led from the middle, not the office. Steady, dependable, and grounded exactly what you want when things get heavy.

These are the leaders who shape careers, not just calls.
The ones who remind us that being a good firefighter starts with being a good human.

To the captains who care, who notice when someone’s off, who protect their crews mentally as much as physically your impact runs deeper than you know.

Respect.

01/20/2026

When winter hits Saskatchewan, the badge doesn’t get a snow day.

While most people are counting steps from the car to the door, police officers are counting on each other in whiteouts, on black ice, and during nights when the cold feels personal.

Frozen radios.
Numb fingers.
Clear decisions.

They knock on doors no one wants opened.
They arrive first when everything is going wrong.
They stand between chaos and calm in temperatures that test both body and mind.

Behind every badge is a human carrying the weight of the job home… and still showing up for the next shift.

This is winter policing on the Prairies.
Unfiltered.
Uncelebrated.
Unbreakable.

Drop a 💙 or a ❄️ to show support

FirstResponderStrong
SaskatchewanStrong

01/19/2026

You don’t see the empty seats on the ambulance.
You don’t feel the weight of the call that never leaves their head.
You don’t hear the radio crackle when there’s no unit left to send.

But paramedics in Saskatchewan live it every shift.

Right now, the system is stretched thin:
• Staffing shortages and recruitment battles
• Burnout and the silent mental health toll
• Rising call volumes with fewer hands to answer
• Rural communities fighting to stay covered
• Retention challenges and unstable working conditions

And yet… they still show up.

They adapt.
They innovate.
They lead.

Behind every uniform is a human carrying more than most will ever know.

This isn’t about statistics.
It’s about people.

If you’ve ever been helped by a paramedic
or waited longer than expected this story involves you.

01/17/2026

Some people don’t need to raise their voice to lead.
They lead by how they show up every single shift.

Retired Captain Blair was that kind of leader.

One of the nicest guys you could meet on the job.
A solid, dependable captain who earned respect without demanding it.
A steady presence in the stations, calm when things were loud, composed when things got hard.

Fire halls felt safer when he was working. Crews trusted him. People listened not because they had to, but because they wanted to.

And that kind of leadership matters more than we sometimes realize.

For first responders, mental health isn’t just about big critical incidents.
It’s about the daily tone in the station.
It’s about knowing your officer has your back.
It’s about working under someone who creates calm instead of pressure, trust instead of fear.

Steady leaders help steady minds.
They remind us sometimes without saying a word that it’s okay to breathe, to talk, to not carry everything alone.

That’s the impact that lasts long after retirement.

That’s the behind the uniform

01/17/2026

Winter firefighting is a different kind of battle especially here in Saskatchewan.

Frozen hydrants. Icy streets. Sub-zero temperatures. Heavy gear that feels even heavier. Limited visibility. Equipment pushed to its limits by extreme cold.

While most people are focused on staying warm indoors, Saskatchewan firefighters, along with dispatchers, operators, police officers, ems and support staff, are responding in some of the harshest conditions imaginable. Every call still demands the same precision, teamwork, and calm decision-making only now the risks are amplified by winter itself.

Behind every cold-weather response are professionals adapting on the fly, trusting their training, and watching out for one another so everyone goes home safe.

This is winter firefighting on the Prairies.
Quiet professionalism. Relentless teamwork.
People showing up no matter the conditions.

PublicSafety Professionalism Teamwork ColdWeatherOps

01/14/2026

Inspector Chance doesn’t seek the spotlight.
Quiet. Professional. Steady.

He shows up every day with one goal in mind serve the citizens of Regina with integrity and respect. No flash, no ego. Just calm leadership, sound judgment, and doing the job the right way, even when no one’s watching.

Behind the uniform is a good man who understands that trust is earned through consistency, accountability, and care for the community he serves.

These are the people who hold the line quietly.
These are the humans behind the uniform.

12/24/2025

Christmas isn’t really about the presents under the tree — it’s about the people sitting around it.
Take the time this season to slow down, breathe, and really be present with the ones you love. Put the phone down. Listen a little longer. Hug a little tighter. These are the moments we’ll look back on someday and realize they were the gifts that mattered most.

And as we gather with our families, let’s remember all of our first responders who are still out there serving and working through the night, missing dinners, traditions, and quiet mornings at home so others can be safe. Firefighters, police, paramedics, dispatch, corrections, nurses every single one of you. Your sacrifice doesn’t go unnoticed.

From my heart to yours Merry Christmas. Stay safe, stay warm, and hold your people close.

12/23/2025

A few moments from an incredible afternoon where rivalry took a back seat to purpose. Regina Fire & Protective Services and Regina Police Service went head to head in the Battle of the Badges, all in support of a cause that truly matters.

Hard hits, fast skates, big laughs, and even bigger hearts. This was about community, charity, and two services showing up together for the people they serve. Proud to capture these moments and the spirit behind them.

This is what service looks like.
BehindTheUniform

12/21/2025

BATTLE OF THE BADGES – REGINA

The ice was hot and the rivalry was real as firefighters and police went head-to-head in an adrenaline-packed charity showdown!

The Second Annual Battle of the Badges, brought to you by Extreme Hockey, saw Regina Fire and Protective Services and Regina Police Service battle it out at Co-operators Centre all for an incredible cause.

Hosted by Hydrants & Hearts, with all proceeds from Team Red and Team Blue going directly to the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, this game was about far more than bragging rights. It was about community, compassion, and giving back.

Police take the win this year but the real victory belongs to charity and the people it supports.

Thank you to everyone who packed the stands, cheered loud, and supported this unforgettable afternoon. Regina showed up in a big way

ForAGreatCause CommunityStrong

Humans behind the uniform

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