Parkland County Fire Services

Fire Services Leadership Workshop

Attendance Restricted - Chief Officers & Station Captains

About the Workshop

The Fire Service Leadership Workshop is a unique professional development opportunity designed specifically for current and emerging leaders in the fire service. Hosted at the Acheson Fire Station, this intensive five-day program focuses on the realities of leading in today’s increasingly complex fire service environment.

This is not a tactics or command course. It is an immersive leadership development experience — built around the practical realities of organizational leadership, governance, data-driven strategy, and building cultures that thrive.

Participants will consider and collaborate on key challenges facing fire service leaders today, including the tensions between service and sustainability, data and instinct, and policy and practice. They will also work together to solve real-world leadership challenges faced by their peers.

The program includes a pre-workshop component, including an online personality and leadership style assessment. Participants will also be asked to contribute a case-study to the workshop based upon a problem they or their organization are currently facing.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

• Strengthen their personal leadership awareness and cultural influence.
• Enhance strategic decision-making skills grounded in data and evidence.
• Improve their ability to navigate governance, partnerships, and political landscapes.
• Deepen their understanding of labour relations, organizational development, and employee engagement.
• Commit to personal leadership development plans.
• Collaborate with peers to analyze and solve complex leadership challenges.

Workshop Topics

• Leading Self, Leading Culture

Building self-awareness and intentionally shaping organizational culture.

• Strategic Decision-Making and Data-Driven Leadership

Using analytics and instincts to make sound, sustainable decisions.

• Governance, Partnerships, and Political Savvy

Navigating relationships with elected officials, administrators, and partners.

• People, Labour Relations, and Organizational Development

Leading organizations in ways that empower, support, and sustain teams.

• Personal Leadership Commitments

Crafting actionable commitments for leadership growth and impact.

• Solving the Real-Life Problems of Peers

Collaborative case study work, drawn from the actual leadership challenges participants bring to the room.

Facilitator Bio

Darrell Reid, President of Emergency Services Academy, brings over 35 years of public service and entrepreneurial experience to his role, with a strong emphasis on leadership. His extensive background includes serving as Chief Administrative Officer of Strathcona County, Fire Chief of Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, Deputy Fire Chief of Toronto Fire Services, CEO of Heart & Stroke Ontario, Fire Chief of Strathcona County Emergency Services, and President of IAFF Local 2461.

Darrell has also contributed his expertise to numerous boards, including as Chair of the Heart & Stroke Foundation Board of BC & Yukon and as a Board Director of EMS Global. Rising through the fire service ranks, he began his career as a firefighter paramedic and later served as a flight paramedic with STARS air ambulance. Currently, he is also the Vice President of Strategy for Darkhorse Emergency, an international leader in public safety analytics.

Darrell holds an MBA from the University of Alberta, an Executive Fire Officer designation, and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Community Preparedness and Disaster Management program. He is known for his ability to build and lead high-performance organizations, foster industry-leading staff engagement, and successfully integrate analytics into emergency services decision-making.