Found family: Teamwork and camaraderie in firefighting

Anyone trapped in a burning building would want Larisa Staub to be one of the firefighters on the call.

Maybe it comes from her experience of being part of high-performing sports teams, or it could be her ability to focus on the task at hand in high-stress situations, but it’s her determination to work hard and help others that has enabled this Lakeland student to achieve some pretty remarkable goals.

Staub is a student in Lakeland College’s firefighter program at the Vermilion campus. And she’s a go-getter.

“I’ve always been a person who gives 110 per cent,” says Staub. “I may not be the most talented individual in certain situations, but I work hard to achieve a goal. Maybe that comes from my dad. When I was a kid and playing against soccer teams with older kids or boys, he would always tell me, ‘Go beat them; I know you can.’ So I did.”

Prior to embarking her career as a firefighter, Staub played with the Canadian National team and then in the United State’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) after being awarded a full scholarship at Arizona State University. After that, she turned pro and played with teams in Sweden and in the Portuguese Liga BPI league for Braga. Liga BPI is the top tier women’s association football league in Portugal.

During 2018 -2019, her team went undefeated during the season to claim the Campeao title, and then won a second championship, the Supertaca.

“I learned so much from my soccer experience,” says Staub. “Travelling all over the world, you become really close with all your teammates. You have to look after one another. You have to know each other’s baselines, you have to know when you’re good, when you’re bad and how to pick each other up. That correlates with firefighting, as well. A big part of it is camaraderie.”

That’s what drew Staub to firefighting – the closeknit, team atmosphere aspect of it, which she found at Lakeland in her five-person unit, Alpha company. Each class is a Battalion made up of a number of companies and Brayden DeBruyn, Zaric Tourangeau, Wyatt Baldwin and Scott Freeman are all part of Staub’s. They spent 12 weeks together at the Emergency Training Centre in Vermilion.

“We definitely have gotten really close and learned all about each other,” Staub says. “We have become a really cohesive team. We’ve learned each other’s strengths and weaknesses, learned what we can and cannot do, and it makes such a great atmosphere. Sometimes one of the guys will hand me a tool I didn’t even know I needed until I have it in my hand. I love that. You have to trust your teammates and they have to trust you. When you’re in a burning tower and it’s dark, and you have 80 lbs of equipment on, and you’re trying to pull out a victim, you have to be able to rely on your teammates.”

As her 12 weeks at Lakeland wrap up, Staub’s hopes for Lakeland’s firefighting program have definitely been met.

“Being a part of this program has helped me fulfill the need to be part of a team, which is something I was craving after leaving professional sports,” she explains. “Lakeland as a whole has exceeded my expectations, from the training grounds to the instructors to my class. I am so happy to come here everyday. And I'm so excited that I've had the opportunity to be part of such a special class.”

After she finishes her program, Staub plans to return home to North Battleford, Sask., to her fiancé, Heather Healey, and their three rescue dogs, Knox, Bougie and Loona.

Photos: Top - Larisa Staub. Middle - (top row) Brayden DeBruyn; (bottom row, left to right) - Zaric Tourangeau, Wyatt Baldwin, Scott Freeman and Larisa Staub, members of Alpha Company. Bottom - Larisa Staub operates the Jaws of Life during a vehicle extraction lab at the Emergency Training Centre.