An unwavering focus on safety has enabled Kevin Conway to avoid serious accidents during his 30-year career as a firefighter in the City of Vancouver and he extends that single-mindedness during his spare time as a fishing guide. For this reason, it isn’t surprising that he was eager to become a challenge assessor for the Tidal Angling Guide (TAG) certification program.
Conway could arguably be a poster boy for safety. While developing his guiding skills as a youth in Vancouver, he decided to become a firefighter after watching firefighters battle a blaze that destroyed his neighbour’s house. “I was very impressed that people would run into a burning building to help others,” he says. “It takes many years and much training to become a good firefighter, and safety becomes second nature to you”.
Conway first guided to offset the expenses of owning and operating a boat. Being a career firefighter with an obvious focus on safety, he was motivated to have a similar approach for all his water-borne activities, obtaining as many credentials as possible, from maritime first aid to a small commercial operations licence. He says that he wanted his clients to feel safe and confident in his experience. “Most people don’t realize the amount of hours that a guide will put in,” says Conway. “It is a very physically demanding occupation.”
In 1993, Conway was asked if he would be interested in guiding with Coast Pacific Guiding and Outfitters, a company that supplies guides to lodges in Haida Gwaii. He eventually bought the company and, as owner for five years, continued to service lodges when the demand for guides exceeded staff availability or when resident guides needed to fly out for a rest. Conway sold the company in 2011, the same year he retired from the Vancouver Fire Department, but he continues guiding at Good Hope Cannery in Rivers Inlet. “I will guide as much as my wife lets me!” he says, jokingly.
During the off-season, Conway will also assess fellow guides as well as newcomers to the industry on behalf of TAG. It’s a duty that he keenly anticipates. “I view TAG not so much as a method of correcting bad behaviour, because 99 per cent of guiding in BC is very well conducted,” he says. “Rather, I see TAG as elevating our industry, giving us legitimacy as a trade.” He predicts that TAG will “really take off” once experienced guides will go through the challenge process. He thinks that those who are newer to the industry but have experience under their belts will have an opportunity to pursue formal recognition of their experience. As such, they will be able to distinguish themselves from beginners and to associate themselves in a meaningful way with veterans of the industry. He says that certification will make it clear that they are true, safety-conscious professionals. “TAG has credibility and legs, and I’m happy to be involved in it.”
