When Salmon Arm firefighter Tammy Young gets home from practice or a call, she knows what to expect.

No matter the time, her whole family 害羞草研究所� sons 17 and 24, grandparents 81 and 82, and her husband will gather in the living room, waiting to hear how it went.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 beautiful. It was meant to be in this family,害羞草研究所� she says of firefighting.

Young has always known she wanted to be a firefighter. 害羞草研究所淎lways, always.害羞草研究所�

Her dream didn害羞草研究所檛 become a reality, though, until last summer.

She lives in Canoe and said she had driven by the sign 害羞草研究所楩irefighters wanted害羞草研究所� many, many times. She had always wanted to help people and she got to thinking, now that she was 42 and her boys were grown, maybe it was time.

She volunteered at the food bank but 害羞草研究所淚 knew I had more 害羞草研究所� more I wanted to be and do and give.害羞草研究所�

It also helped that someone overrode her self doubts and told her, 害羞草研究所榶es, you can do it.害羞草研究所�

She decided to go and see what it would be like.

From day one, she felt welcome.

害羞草研究所淓very part 害羞草研究所� the application, the meetings, the courses. Every part and every person sets you up for success.害羞草研究所�

She went to her first practice in August 2022.

害羞草研究所淚 fell in love with it from that moment. My very first practice I was welcomed as if I had been part of the family forever. The inclusion was I guess nothing I ever could have expected.害羞草研究所�

Asked if physical strength has been an issue, the answer is no. She said the job is very physical and you have to be fit, but there are techniques you are trained to use if, for example, you need to carry someone out a window.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 always safety first.害羞草研究所�

Young said she害羞草研究所檚 experienced no discrimination, only support and kindness.

害羞草研究所淣ot once have I felt anything other than pure sincere goodness.害羞草研究所�

Another woman works out of Hall 1 in Canoe with her, and 害羞草研究所渟he害羞草研究所檚 perfect, she treats me like a sister.害羞草研究所�

Young and her husband and grandparents were watching a movie when her first call came in.

Young threw the remote in the air and ran. She said she was scared by the alarm but not the call. She couldn害羞草研究所檛 contain her excitement.

害羞草研究所淚 always show my emotions on my face and I ran in with a big smile.害羞草研究所�

When she returned home, her family had paused the movie and was waiting for her.

害羞草研究所淚t was beautiful to see their excitement with me.害羞草研究所�

Young doesn害羞草研究所檛 hesitate when asked if she害羞草研究所檇 recommend firefighting to other women.

害羞草研究所淚 would really recommend it to women and to men. I truly believe there are so many women out there who would excel and absolutely love it. If you害羞草研究所檝e ever wanted and considered doing it, now is the time.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌�

Fire Chief Brad Shirley is equally pleased to see more female firefighters joining the Salmon Arm team. The department now has six women, three of whom are in the current recruit training program. Six is the most the department has seen.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e certainly fortunate to have them. They害羞草研究所檙e a great asset to our team,害羞草研究所� he said.

Along with Tammy Young in Canoe害羞草研究所檚 Hall 1 is Kendall Landry. In Hall 2 North Broadview are Jazmine MacMillan, Nathalie Augustin and Kelsey Gorgichuk. Ashley Boechler is in Hall 3 downtown.

For International Women害羞草研究所檚 Day, the Salmon Arm Fire Department is celebrating its female firefighters on Facebook.

害羞草研究所淲e recognize these incredible women of the Salmon Arm Fire Department for their ongoing commitment & dedication throughout each year, specifically on International Women害羞草研究所檚 Day, March 8th. Let害羞草研究所檚 all step forward and commit to #EmbraceEquity,害羞草研究所� reads a post on the department害羞草研究所檚 page.

#Embrace Equity is the International Women害羞草研究所檚 Day 2023 campaign theme. The aim, stated on the official website, is 害羞草研究所渢o get the world talking about Why equal opportunities aren害羞草研究所檛 enough. People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action.害羞草研究所�

The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) is also recognizing the contributions of women 害羞草研究所� those who fight wildfires. Their video is below. Women from Salmon Arm are regularly part of the wildfire service, often training with Rapattack, which has its base in Salmon Arm.

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