Raven Rescue in Smithers helped deliver essential swift water rescue gear and specialized training to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
CEO Jessica Cullen said it was a team effort with Firefighter Aid Ukraine in partnership with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, NRS - Northwest River Supplies, Nova Ukraine, Aspen Aid and Airlink.
"We have partnerships all over and it was really specifically the team in Alberta who introduced us," she said. "We support fire departments all over Canada. So when we heard about their fundraiser and what they were trying to do, we immediately stepped up. It was important to us, and we gave some financial support and some pricing on gear that they needed, and tried to help them build momentum, because it's such a great project."
Established in 2014, Firefighter Aid Ukraine (FFAU) has become a cornerstone of international support for Ukraine’s emergency response network.
According to their website, over the past decade, FFAU has worked hand-in-hand with the State Emergency Services delivering nearly 500 tonnes of life-saving rescue gear and medical aid to frontline responders and hospitals as of spring 2025. FFAU also supports several orphanages in Ukraine.
FFAU has Tactical Combat Casualty Car, K9 Training, Vehicle Extrication, Building Stabilization, and Technical Rope Rescue to advanced medical courses and now, for the first time, Swift Water Rescue training.
Cullen said it was an easy decision for them to get involved.
"We always look at ourselves as a resource first and a business second," she said. "We're not just here about gear or training. It's just also building capacity. We just saw a really clear alignment with our mission. We want to empower people, and we also understand there's so much courage and dedication in the Ukrainian rescuers, and they're working under very difficult circumstances with limited resources. It was our pleasure to be able to contribute whatever we could for their safety and success."
Raven Rescue has its head office in Smithers and satellite offices in Ontario, the Yukon and Alberta.
