James Rychard is a 23-year firefighter/instructor from the City of Burlington, Ontario Canada. He is an accomplished author writing for both Firefighting in Canada and Canadian Firefighter magazines on topics that challenge the status quo; introducing ideas that are unconventional. In 2022, James joined 23 other Canadian professionals with his article “Guarding Against Burnout in the Emergency Services: A Firefighter’s Perspective” published in the Canadian Journal of Criminal Justice Report, Special Issue for Public Safety Personnel. To complement his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, James is a graduate of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs – Humber College’s Fire Service Executive Management Certificate program – a program focused on strengthening senior fire officer competencies. Sitting on several international committees James has a boots-on-the-ground understanding of the issues the fire service sector faces today. He is a passionate advocate for both organizational & personal wellness and has successfully presented at International Chief Fire Officer conferences on burnout, human factors & performance, culture, and character leadership.

In 2022, James received Fire Service Psychology Association’s inaugural Fire Service Leader of the Year award for his work in fire service mental and behavioural health. In his spare time, he enjoys actively engaging in nature, spending time away from the job hiking, cycling, and training his Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Luna.