The Inspiration
My brother, Skyler, was someone who dedicated his life to helping others.
As a teenager, he worked as a lifeguard and swim instructor, teaching water safety and helping people build confidence in and around the water. Later, he became a firefighter, where that same commitment to serving his community continued. No matter the role, Skyler understood the importance of sharing knowledge and how taking the time to teach someone could make a real difference.
He was also an incredible uncle.
Skyler shared a special bond with his niece, Quinn. He loved spending time with her, and sharing his passion for firefighting and helping others. The curiosity, enthusiasm, and sense of adventure that Quinn brings to these stories are inspired by the real little girl who looked up to her uncle so much.
In 2019, Skyler tragically lost his life in the line of duty during a firefighter training exercise. His death changed our family forever.
In the years that followed, I found myself thinking often about the lessons he taught and the values he lived by. As my own family grew, so did my desire to make sure my children knew who their uncle was, especially those who never had the chance to meet him. I wanted them to know more than his name or recognize his face in photographs. I wanted them to know his kindness, his courage, his sense of adventure, and how much he cared about helping others.
That’s how Skyler’s Safety Squad began.
What started as a way to honour my brother and keep his memory alive grew into something more. Through these stories, I hope to help families have important conversations about safety in a way that is fun, engaging, and easy for children to understand. Each Safety Squad adventure introduces a different safety lesson, encouraging children and caregivers to learn together and build habits that can last a lifetime.
For me, these books are about more than fire safety. They’re a way to share a little piece of Skyler with my children and with families who never had the chance to know him.
Skyler spent his life helping others, and through Skyler’s Safety Squad, I hope that part of him will continue to live on, one story and one safety lesson at a time.