10 Amazing Female Firefighters

Posted by admin in Uncategorized Jun 27th, 2010

Female firefighters have been putting out flames for almost 200 years, while continuing to burn down boundaries of gender discrimination, harassment and negative criticisms from their male counterparts. While firefighting remains a predominately male profession, female firefighters make sure that their efforts are noticed and their voices are heard, so they can keep doing what they do best – fight fires. Here are 10 amazing female firefighters who’ve changed the face of the profession:

1. Molly Williams
   Known as the first female firefighter, Molly Williams was a slave in New York City and a member of the Oceanus Engine Company No. 11 in 1815. She was remembered for pulling the pumper to fires through heavy snow during a blizzard in 1818. Williams wore a calico dress and checked apron when fighting fires, but she was known to be just as hardworking as the male firefighters. There is very little known about her personal life, but her firefighting efforts remain an important part of women’s history and paving the way for female firefighters.
2. Marina Betts
   Marina Betts made history as a volunteer firefighter in Pittsburgh in 1820. Known for her unwavering dedication, Betts was said to have never missed an alarm during her 10 years of service, and was remembered for pouring buckets of water over male bystanders who refused to help put out fires.
3. Lillie Hitchcock Coit
   Lillie Hitchcock Coit is also considered to be one of the first female firefighters in America. Dating back to 1859, Coit became an honorary member of San Francisco’s Knickerbocker Engine Company No. 5 as a teenager, when she helped the company haul the engine to a fire on Telegraph Hill.
4. Emma Vernell
   Emma Vernell was known as the first recognized female firefighter in the state of New Jersey. After her firefighter husband died in the line of duty, Vernell became a firefighter herself at Westside Hose Company No. 1 in 1920, at the age of 50. She is regarded for her firefighting contributions, as well as her courageous move into the profession late in her life.
5. Judith Livers Brewer
   Judith Livers is known as the first paid firefighter. Livers was hired in 1974 by the Arlington County, Virginia, Fire Department. Livers became interested in firefighting when her husband was studying for his fire science classes in order to be a firefighter. Motivated by the idea of saving lives and preventing damage caused by fires, Livers became a firefighter herself. Judith Livers retired from Arlington County in 1999 at the high ranking position of battalion chief.
6. Toni McIntosh
   Toni McIntosh is known as one of the first black female career firefighters. McIntosh was hired in 1976 by the Pittsburgh Fire Department and served more than 11 years at the station. She is regarded as one of the first black female firefighters to be paid for her fire fighting services, as well as the most tenured female firefighter in the U.S.



7. Bessie Hudson
   Bessie Hudson is making history for being named the first black female battalion chief of Orange County Fire Recue in Orlando, Florida. During her nearly 20 years of firefighting, Hudson has overcome some serious obstacles of racism and cultural differences, but always ended up on top. In 2004, Hudson was promoted to lieutenant, and now she has been promoted to battalion chief.



8. Bonnie Beers
   Seattle’s first female firefighter may have retired in 2008, but this brave woman’s legacy lives on and continues to inspire women firefighters. Beers joined the Seattle Fire Department in 1978 to some dismay. She faced gender discrimination, harassment, bullying and other negative reactions from the all male fire department. Holding her ground, Beers forged through the criticisms, did her job well and became a role model to other female firefighters throughout her 30 years of service.



9. Brenda Berkman
   Brenda Berkman is known as the first female firefighter of the New York City Fire Department. Although this heroic firefighter retired in 2006, her contributions to the profession continue to make a difference for female firefighters today. Berkman is widely known among New York firefighters for her 1982 lawsuit against the city for its discrimination against women in physical exams, arguing that some of the requirements were unnecessary for the position. Berkman won the lawsuit and became a New York City firefighter, but not without years of harassment and abuse from male firefighters. However, Berkman stuck to her job, became lieutenant and was one of the first rescue workers to report to Ground Zero on Sept. 11.



10. Dany Cotton
    Dany Cotton continues to make headway as the deputy assistant commissioner of the London Fire Brigade. With 22 years of service under her, Cotton is the highest ranking operational woman in the United Kingdom’s fire and rescue service, and the first female firefighter in the UK to receive the Queen’s Fire Service Medal. Even at a managerial position, Cotton still attends emergencies and handles crisis management, while promoting the field of firefighting to women.

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