Ron Kyle is able to unleash a torrent of resourceful humanitarianism in his efforts to bring essential services to communities in need worldwide.
Ron Kyle (3rd from right) delivers fire fighting equipment to Sierra Leone, Africa
Ron Kyle (centre with keys and hat) delivers an ambulance to Sandy Lake, Northern Ontario
Fire consumes everything in its path until water flows to douse it. These fundamental and countervailing forces of nature are second nature to Captain Ron Kyle, a 27 year veteran of the Toronto Fire Services. Now for most of us, our quota of community service would be filled simply by being a Fire Fighter and working daily in the community. In the same way that fire knows no boundaries, Ron sees no distinction between being a Fire Fighter and a saver of lives in general. Further Ron sees no difference between those suffering in our local Toronto community to those suffering world wide, be they bitten by the frost of poverty in Ontario North or suffering from the scorched earth in civil war torn Sierra Leone, Africa. Ron reminds us that the impoverished are “are all just like you and me, the only difference is that they have had less opportunities than us.” As such, wherever Ron finds communities singed by poverty or unrest he arranges for the flow of ambulances, medical equipment, fire equipment and other humanitarian supplies to help restore them.
Ron began his expanded philanthropy in 2003 with “Mercy Ships” (www.mercyships.ca) which is a non governmental organization offering roving (sailing) medical assistance, with thousands of free operations performed per year. While on board, Ron witnessed first hand the miracles human compassion can create. Children who are affected with ‘cleft lip/palate’ (harelip) or women suffering from vaginal fistula (a severe gynecological condition) are shunned by their communities as being ‘possessed by the devil’. In both cases and in many others, pride and self confidence is restored and families rebuilt by a simple and quick operation.
Ron is often asked cynically “What can anyone really do to help the situation in say Africa?” Ron replies: “go there and see where the Lord places you.” Ron leads by example here in that he was originally listed as the mechanic on board the Mercy Ship. He was quickly asked to expand his duties and teaching fire safety in Sierra Leone. He then further parlayed this into assessing their needs and arranging to deliver 14 pallets of fire equipment and trained the local fire squads in its use.
Ron says his philanthropy is guided by the adage “give someone a fish and you feed them for a day – teach them to fish and you feed them for a lifetime.” Thus key to the process is “building relationships and providing ownership.” He has witnessed many projects which started with the best of intentions fall by the wayside because there was no local community ownership and an ongoing relationship with the originating organization. Ron is very adept at mobilizing the correct resources and contacts to take ownership of the key parts of any of his projects. As such Ron “lets people raise themselves out of their circumstances instead of trying to lift them.”
Ron has received several accolades for his work, including the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association Al Pearsall Award for his humanitarian work. However his legacy lies not in rewards but in rebuilt communities and restored hope. Ron is always on the go with a current project in conjunction with the North South Partnership for Children (www.northsouthpartnership.com, NSPC) to deliver 2 fire trucks to the cities Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) and Sandy Lake in Northern Ontario.
Whether Ron is delivering an ambulance over the winter ice roads to the frigid Northern Ontario communities, or sailing to the sweltering heat of Africa, his destination is essentially the same: the human heart. Whether his cargo be ultrasound equipment, ambulances, or fire equipment, his cargo is also essentially the same: human compassion.
