Kahnawake’s Lazare Named Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year
Written by Paul Graif on 14 September 2021
Kahnawake’s Arnold Lazare has been named the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year.
“I’m still in a little bit of disbelief,” Lazare said. “How do you choose one person? I’m led to believe there were 30 something nominees. So I’m still in disbelief because of the work that we’re doing, it’s important. It will give me a chance to move the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council agenda ahead with the public attention. That’s really what’s important the fact that we need to make small changes to save lives.”
In recent years Lazare, who also work with Kahnawake’s Public Safety Division, has been working with the Indigenous Fire Marshall Office and the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council. He has spent 42 years in the Kahnawake Fire Brigade, 17 of which he served as fire chief.
“I’m proud of the community,” he said. “I mean I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t have the support of the community and of course the (Kahnawake) Fire Brigade members. There’s been so may people that contributed to me being where I am over the years.”
Lazare has also been a fire instructor for the Cree and the Hitchinbrooke Volunteer Fire Department for many years.
