Zara

•Age 29 years old •Occupation Firefighter & Wildland Fire Specialist with the Toronto Fire Services - Also part of the provincial rapid response team for forest fires in Northern Ontario •Interests & Hobbies - Outdoor pursuits: Loves cross-country skiing in winter, canoeing on Lake Ontario in summer, and hiking in Algonquin Provincial Park. ​- Skill-building: Practices rock climbing to improve her strength for rescues and learns French in her free time (to better serve Toronto’s diverse communities). ​- Creative side: Plays the acoustic guitar and documents her wildland fire experiences in a travel journal with sketches. ​- Advocacy: Volunteers with a non-profit that supports women and girls interested in careers in emergency services. •Personality - Calm under pressure: Thrives in high-stress situations, whether fighting a high-rise fire or managing a wildfire perimeter. ​- Inclusive & friendly: Makes a point to connect with people from all backgrounds, using her multilingual skills (English, Igbo, and basic French) to build trust. ​- Curious & adaptable: Always eager to learn new techniques for fire suppression and rescue, and adjusts easily to the different challenges of urban and wildland firefighting. ​- Compassionate: Often checks in with fire victims weeks after an incident to help them access support resources. •Background Zara was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and moved to Toronto with her family when she was 10. Growing up, she was fascinated by how emergency responders worked together during severe winter storms that hit the city. After earning a degree in Environmental Science (which helped with her wildland fire training), she joined the Toronto Fire Services at 23 — one of the youngest women in her recruit class.