Exploring the Integration of Mindfulness-Based Mental Training into the British Columbia Wildfire Service

Description

This M.Ed. Capstone Project explores the integration of mindfulness-based mental training into the British Columbia Wildfire Service (BCWS). I work seasonally as a wildland firefighter at the BCWS Provincial Rapattack Operations base, and have firsthand experience with the stressors wildfire personnel encounter: from physical, to mental, to interpersonal, to environmental. Prior to working for the BCWS, I walked a long path to understand and recover from various developmental and complex traumatic experiences. Mindfulness-based practice has been a transformative resource on my ongoing journey towards healing and wholeness. My “formal” mindfulness-based practices include meditation and yoga, with over 10 years of dedicated practice, while in daily life, I aim to be mindful (i.e., fully present and connected) at every moment. My interest in making mindfulness-based practices available to wildfire personnel stems from the transformative effects these practices have had on my life: stress reduction, trauma recovery, and holistic wellbeing. If appropriate, I’m motivated to share mindfulness-based practices with my colleagues at the BCWS, as it may help them to navigate the stress and trauma they encounter. This is the landscape explored in my M.Ed. Capstone Project.

Student Biography

Dan is a seasonal Rapattack wildland firefighter with the BC Wildfire Service. Since 2013, he has experimented with various mindfulness-based practices. Dan is grateful to currently live on the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwepemc Nation.