The FireSafe Foundation

06/15/2026

Thank you to Phoenix Leather Co. And The Valley Eye Photography for the work you are doing with this initiative!!!

06/12/2026

IMPORTANT MESSAGE – PLEASE READ
The funeral service for Engineer 1st Class / Lieutenant Joel Neily will be held on Saturday, June 20th at 2:00 PM at White Family Funeral Home, Kentville. Honoring Joel's final wishes, the following has been arranged.
- Prior to the service, a march will take place from the Kentville Fire Station to White Family Funeral Home. All First Responder personnel wishing to participate are asked to report to the Fire Hall no later than 1:00 PM. Personnel are requested to wear their Class A Uniform, if available.
- Following the service, an es**rt parade of trucks will depart from White Family Funeral Home and proceed to Elm Grove Cemetery, Highway 359, Steam Mill before disbursing. All participating apparatus and vehicles are asked to stage in the parking lot behind the Provincial Courthouse, 87 Bridge Street, no later than 1:00 PM.
- Immediately following the funeral service and prior to the departure of the es**rt parade, all First Responder personnel not driving an apparatus will be directed to the bridge adjacent to the funeral home, where the es**rt will pass for a final salute to Joel.
To assist with planning and coordination, any First Responder agency attending, participating in the march, as well as any fire department, response agency, or business planning to participate in the es**rt parade of trucks, is asked to provide anticipated numbers by email to: [email protected] Any questions can be directed to [email protected]
Your cooperation and support are greatly appreciated as we come together to honor and remember Joel's dedicated service and sacrifice.
Thank you.

05/31/2026

50/50 Donation in Memory of Joel Neily

Thanks to the generosity of the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival Glow Bingo participants, $773 was raised and will be donated to The FireSafe Foundation in accordance with Joel’s wishes.

On behalf of the Apple Blossom Festival and our community, thank you to everyone who contributed. Together, we honour Joel’s legacy and support the important work of assisting firefighters and their families.

50/50 Donation in Memory of Joel Neily

During our Glow Bingo event, a 50/50 fundraiser was held in memory of Joel Neily, a dedicated member of the Kentville Volunteer Fire Department who recently passed away following a courageous battle with firefighting-related cancer.

The Kentville Volunteer Fire Department is an integral part of the Apple Blossom Festival, providing support, leadership, and service to our community year after year. We are honoured to recognize Joel’s memory in this meaningful way.

Thanks to the generosity of our Glow Bingo participants, $773 was raised and will be donated to The FireSafe Foundation in accordance with Joel’s wishes.

On behalf of the Apple Blossom Festival and our community, thank you to everyone who contributed. Together, we honour Joel’s legacy and support the important work of assisting firefighters and their families.

05/26/2026

It is with profound sadness to share the passing of one of our Founding Members; and the inspiration behind our Foundation. No words can express our sadness today. Joel was passionate, courageous and caring. Our mission will go on with Joel Neily in our hearts. Rest easy Joel

02/07/2026

01/28/2026

01/27/2026

Our Sponsorship Page is now live! By sponsoring The FireSafe Foundation, organizations demonstrate a genuine commitment to firefighter health and long-term safety while maintaining the integrity of the fire service.

https://www.firesafefoundation.org/sponsorship

01/24/2026

Please take 5 minutes a fill out this survey!! The dymata being collected could be very useful for future programming and awareness campaigns!!

⚠️ This survey has been formed to understand how much firefighters, particularly in Nova Scotia, know about cancer, related to firefighting. ✍️ These results will be shared at a later date, in hopes to provide some educational tips to improve decontamination and awareness across fire departm...

01/18/2026

Meet the Visionaries Behind The FireSafe Foundation 🌟
Our founders are dedicated to addressing critical health and wellness issues affecting firefighters—working toward a safer, healthier future while promoting a powerful “Do Better” approach for our first responders. 🚒❤️

Over the next 4 days, we’ll introduce you to the founders behind The FireSafe Foundation.

Day 4: Founder — Joel Neily

Joel has dedicated over 15 years of service to the Nova Scotia fire service, volunteering in several leadership and technical roles, including Captain/Engineer with Hantsport Fire and currently serving as a Firefighter and Engineer 1 with the Kentville Volunteer Fire Department. He lives in Kentville with his amazing wife and their beautiful twin girls, who remain his greatest source of strength and motivation.

Joel’s commitment to The FireSafe Foundation is deeply personal. While courageously fighting a firefighting-related cancer, he is using his time, experience, and voice to advocate for meaningful change—championing fireground safety, improved decontamination practices, departmental policy evolution, and smarter equipment decisions to better protect current firefighters and the generations that follow.

“If sharing my story helps protect even one firefighter—or ensures one family doesn’t have to walk this road—then it’s worth it. We owe it to each other, and to those who come after us, to do better.”

01/17/2026

Meet the Visionaries Behind The FireSafe Foundation 🌟
Our founders are dedicated to addressing critical health and wellness issues affecting firefighters—working toward a safer, healthier future while promoting a powerful “Do Better” approach for our first responders. 🚒❤️

Over the next 4 days, we’ll introduce you to the founders behind The FireSafe Foundation.

Day 3: Founder — Jeremy Walsh

Jeremy continues to serve the Nova Scotia Fire Service as a Captain with the Kentville Volunteer Fire Department. He is a devoted husband, father, and friend.

Jeremy’s motivation to help establish The FireSafe Foundation is deeply personal. In 2010, he lost his father, Captain Richard Walsh, to a firefighting-related cancer. Today, that loss is compounded by the reality of a close friend courageously battling the same terminal diagnosis.

“The fire service has made incredible progress in supporting firefighters through improved health and safety practices—but we can always do better. With this Foundation, we strive to do better.”