Chief trailblazer: Karen Fry
Over the years, Karen Fry has encountered her fair share of doubters. But now, as Fire Chief for the City of Vancouver, every day she ensures the safety of one million people.
When Karen Fry’s career started, the idea that she would one day head up the fire and rescue department for one of Canada’s largest cities would have been far-fetched.
"I was working for a large grocery store chain," Fry, Fire Chief for the City of Vancouver, tells The CEO Magazine. "During that time, in the mid-80s, women were permitted to be cashiers and that was about it. But I always had dreams."
"People in the fire service are here because they have really good hearts and they want to help people."
She had long had an interest in the 911 system and had qualified as a first aid attendant. In 1999, she was hired as a dispatcher for the fire department for the city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. She immediately set about challenging the sexist attitudes that she encountered.
"There were no women firefighters. We were told women could not be firefighters," she says. "I wanted to prove to my colleagues that I could do the fitness challenge because it was always said that women weren’t strong enough.
"I passed, but I actually wasn’t interested in being a firefighter; I liked what I was doing."
Rising through the ranks
As well as being passionate, she was clearly highly capable. Fry was promoted to the rank of Captain, then to Deputy Chief in the city of Surrey and then to Fire Chief back in Nanaimo – all while raising five children, and for a period of time as a single mother.
By now a distinguished public servant, she received an unexpected call requesting her application to become Fire Chief for the City of Vancouver.
"Within three months of applying, I was offered the job," she recalls.
Fry’s 2021 appointment was unquestionably a historic one, bucking multiple trends that had stood for almost 135 years.
"They’d never had a woman lead the department, never had a non-firefighter, and I was only the second-ever outside hire since it was established in 1886," she says.
Life-saving technology
During Fry’s tenure, she has been an enthusiastic champion of technology, having overseen yet more firsts.
"We’re the first fire department in North America to have a net zero fire hall, and the first department in Canada and the second in North America to have an electric fire engine," she says.
"The people that are riding on our electric engine love it. It was built originally for the health and wellness of firefighters; it is absolutely quiet when you’re in it and working around it, and it also has built in ergonomic features to reduce injuries to our firefighters."
"I have great pride in being part of this team."
As well as this, a crucial tool is the use of data analytics to help performance, with the help of key partners such as GINQO.
"We need to make sure that we use our data to have the resources to be able to respond and arrive on scene," Fry says. "In every department that I’ve worked at, we’ve implemented an analytics business intelligence tool.
"Having the data on the causes of fires at our fingertips helps us to build our case with our Council for the need for new trucks, more firefighters and different public education drivers to mitigate these fires."
A caring culture
Perhaps the most crucial mission Fry had when she assumed her role was to rebuild trust, both within the department and with the broader population.
"There was not a lot of trust between the membership and the administration staff," Fry says. "Our culture has really shifted in the last four years, and we now have a very positive, collaborative working relationship with our membership.
"I like to be open to dialogue, which isn’t always easy."
One such topic of conversation is the recognition of the marginalized communities of Vancouver.
"We’re actually learning more about the diverse people who live in our City of Vancouver and how we can better serve them. One of the simplest things that I’ve done since I’ve been here is to give a land acknowledgment if I’m doing a speech," she says.
"The indigenous people have been keeping our lands beautiful and safe and helping our fire department since time immemorial."
"Our culture has really shifted in the last four years."
Although Fry admits these issues are not always the easiest to address, especially in a traditionally male-dominated industry, she has faith in the ability of her employees to do what is right.
"As culture changes, and people of color or people of different genders join us, it’s important to communicate the strength that it will give to our department," she says. "People in the fire service are here because they have really good hearts and they want to help people."
Fry stresses that the talent, benevolence and work ethic of Vancouver’s fire and rescue heroes never fail to make her proud.
"I just have to be able to give people the tools and to help carve that path for them to be successful," she says. "I think our department has a lot of pride in me being their Chief, but not as much as the honor I have to work with them. I have great pride in being part of this team."