Sometimes the most important lessons we learn come to us from unique people who are not firefighters. The fire service is continuously searching for new knowledge, and we discover it from a variety of people coming from diverse backgrounds.

I just learned today that Dr. Kimberly Alyn recently passed away unexpectedly. Dr. Ayln played an intricate role in the education of the fire service. She didn’t teach tactics or fire behavior. She coached us on firefighter behavior. She talked about people (us) and how we could work better together, because the fire service is a “people business.”

Dr. Kimberly Alyn had a fighting spirit for the fire service and what we do, and she encouraged innovation (thinking outside the box) and forward thinking. Whether listening to her presentations or having a conversation with her, she always had something to say that grabbed our attention. Her goal was to help us expand our minds and ultimately make us better. She was an inspiring person who made a positive impact on the fire service.