Chanel Smith and Hayley Sayrs attended Day 1 of the Women’s Fire Prep Academy to learn more about the program and its impact on helping more women enter the field.
Becoming a Firefighter
Current requirements: open to anyone 18 and over, with a GED or high school diploma and EMT credits (community college), and you can submit an application to become a firefighter for LA County. Alumni spoke about how becoming a firefighter is a lifelong commitment, a lifestyle that requires body maintenance in the form of staying in shape, work outing, and eating a nutritious diet. This discussion is included in the 6-week training course held by the Women’s Fire Prep Academy.
They also cover power tools, ropes, heavy machinery, and a majority of things that are culturally taught to men presenting a barrier of skillset in addition to the physical strength required (able to lift a 100 lb ladder by yourself in emergency). Currently, about 85-90% of calls to County Fire are medical ones, hence why EMT is now a requirement for all firefighters. True civil servants, fire departments receive service calls for everything from sprinklers to illness to leaky pipes and will show up no matter what.
Impact of Women’s Fire League on County Fire
The first class to graduate 4 women was 16 years ago. From 2016-2021, LA County Fire hired 36/ of the 38 graduates from the program. It helped double the amount of women in the department overall. The success rate of the program is currently at 98%, which is higher than any other civilian program in existence.Alumni from this program and are actively firefighting come back and volunteer to teach our trainings. We have an alumni program, (those pictured in black shirts).
Overcoming Barriers and Finding Strength in Unity
Current challenges exist with County vendor contracts such as having smaller sizes of uniforms available . “When I first started, I had one PPE fit that was customized for me and the other set I got were these baggy hammy downs that definitely didn’t fit. I am glad to see the progress we are making and after being on the team for more than a decade, I can see the changes,” says the safety officer
The Women’s Fire Prep Academy has a profound effect on young women—both those who attend the training and the alumni that give back. “You see a real change —they see that they can do it too,” stated Chris Thomas.
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