Honoring our Heroes: Thomas Ledet

Battalion Chief, Little Caillou Fire Department

Chauvin native Thomas Ledet has dedicated most of his life to serving others. “I always wanted to go ahead and do something for my community,” he says.

Thomas’ history of protecting and helping others goes back to when he was just 14 years old — when he was a lifeguard at the Chauvin pool.

Wanting to be there for his community even more, he later signed up to be a volunteer firefighter for the Little Caillou Fire Department (LCFD) while still in high school at South Terrebonne. He then started working fulltime for the department shortly after graduating.

Since his career started with the LCFD in 1980, Thomas has amassed an illustrious career in service, reaching the rank of Battalion Chief — a position he still holds today.

Some other noteworthy accomplishments during his career include becoming an EMT and later the more advanced EMT-A; acquiring Instructor 1, Instructor 2, Firefighter 1 and Firefighter 2 certifications; and teaching countless future first responders in fire and medical training.

But it’s perhaps the tremendous amount of people he helped along the way – by checking on them and saving their lives and/or property — during his career that spans over four decades, that people know and appreciate him for the most in his area.

“He has become an incredible asset to the community of Chauvin, saving countless numbers of people’s lives and property. Thomas is especially depended on upon in the community because the nearest hospital is between 20 and 45 minutes away, depending upon which part of the community you are in,” said Thomas’ wife, Sheila Ledet. “…He is the person elderly people look for when they just need a blood pressure checked or having critical heart and breathing issues. He is the person that young parents look to when their babies are running a fever or have swallowed something and have stopped breathing. He is the person that arrives when the house is on fire or you just need a smoke detector installed.”

Good deeds that Thomas gladly commits, as he always had a deep appreciation for his community.

“I was born and raised in Chauvin. I had lot of family in Chauvin,” he shares. “I just really like the community, working for the community and helping them out.”