Women firefighters are a minority across the country. Officials in DeKalb County are trying to change that.
The DeKalb and City of Decatur fire departments are hosting a “Females in the Fire Service” event Saturday and Sunday. According to Capt. Annette Haygood, the event aims to recruit and raise awareness about the contributions of women in fire.
“It is very challenging for us to recruit women because, one, they think they can’t do it, or they’re not familiar with what we actually do,” said Haygood, who works for DeKalb fire.
The nationwide percentage of women firefighters is low. According to the National Fire Protection Association, only about 9% of firefighters in the U.S. were women in 2020.
DeKalb fire currently has only 31 sworn women firefighters out of roughly 630 total, according to Capt. Jaeson Daniels. Of those 31 women, 25 have ranks of firefighter through Captain.
Saturday’s event will take place at Dekalb County Fire Station 7 located at 1712 Columbia Drive. The two-hour event is designed to give women a glimpse into the life of a firefighter and will feature simulations, including a vehicle extraction, Haygood said.
The event on Sunday, held at DeKalb County Fire Rescue Training Academy located at 3161 Warren Road, is open to girls ages 14 to 18. Participants will have a chance to don gear, operate hoses, scale the ladder and earn their CPR certification, Haygood said.
“Join us for a day of education, inspiration and empowerment as we celebrate the incredible women who serve our community as firefighters,” DeKalb fire wrote.
Haygood said that the goal of the free event is to also help dispel any myths aspiring women firefighters may have about the job and to provide them with a chance to meet some of the county’s firefighters.
Haygood said that even at the beginning of her own career, she knew little about women in the field.
“I was actually elated that I saw three women on the fire truck over twenty years ago,” Haygood added, speaking about a moment that inspired her to pursue a career as a firefighter.
Two identical sessions will take place Saturday, one at 9 a.m. and another at noon. Sunday’s event will take place from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Individuals must be at least 18 to participate in the interactive portion of the event. Registration is required for both days.
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