Just one of the guys
Number of female firefighters at an all-time high

Mary Kate Nolan | staff writer
mnolan2@smcvt.edu

In past years, the St. Michael’s Fire Department has had one or two female members, Fire Chief Peter Soons says.

Firefighter Miryam Andrews-Ohlman attacks a blaze in Winooski, January 2006. Photo courtesy of Judge Manning

Currently, there are four active women, one woman studying abroad and three female recruits who are in the process of becoming firefighters. In a department that attracts a large number of men, the women are holding their own.

You can’t tell the men from the women

Junior Bethany DiCristofaro and sophomore Rachel Davis are both firefighters. DiCristofaro is the fire clerk and has been in the department since the spring of her first year.

“Firefighting has always been something I had wanted to look into since going to the St. Michael’s informational meeting,” DiCristofaro says.

Davis has been training for over a year and going on fire calls
since December of last year.

“I saw a great opportunity there and a great ability to help the
community around me,” she says. “I knew I wanted to serve in some way or another, and I felt this was the best way that I would be able to do it.”

Within the department, all the firefighters are treated the same
way, regardless of gender, Soons says.

“It’s just the type of person you are that decides if you can handle it or not,” DiCristofaro says. “It’s not like the girls can do this or the guys can do this. It has never been a gender issue at all. Once you’re in your gear, you can’t tell who’s who.”  

DiCristofaro says her experience has been the same as the guys she joined with.

“We’ve learned the same things and done the exact same jobs,” she says.  

For Davis, the perception that firefighting is a man’s job is one that everyone seems to have. But, being on the department is a great learning experience for everyone, she says.

“Sometimes I feel weaker than other people, but it’s not because I’m a woman,” Davis says. “It’s just everybody has their own different strengths. I have learned that men may have more brute strength, but women can be more nimble at times.”

Besides differences in strength, there are also some mental distinctions, she says.

“As a woman, I feel like I have to prepare myself a little better, focus myself a little more,” Davis says. “What may come more naturally to them [the men], I have to put a little more effort into. But, I feel like we both get the same experience and the same satisfaction of doing our jobs well.”

A chief’s thoughts

Firefighters Patrick Mager and Bethany DiCristofaro stand by at the scene of a car accident. Photo courtesy of Judge Manning

Fire Chief Peter Soons sees the male-dominated fire service of the past beginning to change, he says.

“I think it’s great that more women are getting involved on the fire unit,” Soons says. “In terms of energy and motivation, many of our women do just as much if not more than some of the men.”

A recent department paintball outing confirms that the women can keep up with the men, he says.

“The girls were mixing it up just as much as the boys,” Soons says. “I had the welts to prove it.”

Not only are men and women treated the same in the department, but there is no special treatment during the recruiting or training processes. No extra effort is put into recruiting women over men, Soons says.

“On the training site, accommodations are made to anyone who needs them, male or female, but everyone is held to the same standard,” he says.

Firefighters are assigned tasks regardless of gender.

“On the fire ground, a firefighter is a firefighter,” Soons says. “Quite frankly, when they’re all suited up it’s hard to tell who is who without looking at an accountability tag.”

Working with women 
                   
Senior Judge Manning, a lieutenant with the fire department, is comfortable working alongside women, he says.

“They’ve all taken the same classes we have and gone through the same tests so I have no problem with it,” Manning says. “A person’s skill would be what I would worry about, not their gender.”

Lieutenant Judge Manning, firefighter Miryam Andrews-Ohlman, captain T.J. Coolidge and firefighter Sarah Stehmeyer pose with Engine 9. Photo courtesy of Judge Manning

Manning has two women in his company and there is one woman in each of the other companies.

“I think anyone who wants to be fighting fires should be fighting fires,” he says. “It’s the greatest job.”

Manning is looking into firefighting after graduation and the women should keep this option open as well, he says.

“I don’t think women would have a harder time continuing with firefighting after college,” Manning says. “All career fire departments are trying to increase the diversity of their departments.”