Fire to Light: A Journey of Courage, Change, and Conscious Leadership in the Fire Service
In this inspiring episode of Beneath the Helmet, I sat down with Brandon Evans, a former Brampton firefighter turned entrepreneur and wellness leader, who now lives in Costa Rica and runs Fire to Light, a platform dedicated to mental fitness for first responders.
Brandon’s story is one of courage, introspection, and bold reinvention. His journey from firefighter to founder is not just about changing careers, it’s about redefining what it means to be resilient in the fire service and beyond.
In this episode, we explored the cracks in traditional fire service culture, the impact of COVID-19 on mental health, and the inner work needed to thrive in life after service. Brandon doesn’t just speak from theory, he lived it. From traumatic calls to personal healing, his experience offers a playbook for leaders seeking more meaning, more connection, and more light.
Let’s dive into my top five nuggets from this episode.
Top 5 Nuggets from the Episode
1. Living Fully Means Stepping into the Unknown
Brandon’s story reminds us that life doesn’t wait for the perfect moment. He took a leave of absence, moved his family to Costa Rica, and pursued an entrepreneurial dream without a guaranteed safety net. His story challenges the cultural belief that we must stay until “retirement age” or cling to stability out of fear.
“The unknown is uncomfortable, but it’s also where growth lives.”
2. Mental Fitness Is the New Standard
Brandon reframes mental health as mental fitness, advocating for proactive training of the mind and heart, just as we train our bodies and fireground skills. He explains how fire departments need to move beyond checkbox training and build meaningful, ongoing resilience strategies.
“Fitness for the mind and heart should be as common as pump drills and hydrant hits.”
3. Your Story Is Your Superpower
One of the most powerful themes was the role of storytelling in leadership. Brandon shared how fire chiefs who are vulnerable and open, who tell their stories from the heart, actually increase trust and transform culture. Sharing pain isn’t weakness, it’s service.
“When leaders speak from the heart, culture shifts from the inside out.”
4. Preventative Tools Must Become Cultural Norms
Brandon emphasizes that many firefighters are never given the psychological tools they need to navigate trauma until it’s too late. His work with Fire to Light focuses on prevention through education, breathwork, emotional intelligence, and mental skills training, not just intervention.
“We can’t wait until firefighters are broken to give them the tools.”
5. Purpose Beyond the Patch
Perhaps the most relatable takeaway was the permission to outgrow the fire service. Brandon didn’t leave because he hated the job. He left because life called him in another direction, and that’s okay. We need more stories like his to normalize change, pivoting, and living with intentionality.
“You don’t need to be broken to want something different.”
Final Thoughts: From Fire to Light
If you’ve ever asked yourself:
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“Is this still the right path for me?”
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“Can I really leave the fire service before 60?”
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“What happens if I stop identifying as a firefighter?”
Then Brandon’s journey is your invitation to explore what’s next.
It’s time we moved from burnout to balance, from silence to storytelling, from fire to light.
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