Nancy Innes, 53, is looking back on a great idea.
Twenty-seven years ago, when she was studying chemistry and biochemistry at Simon Fraser University, she spotted a poster at the university about the Surrey Fire Service hiring firefighters.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 the first time I ever thought about it, and I just thought it would be a really great job,害羞草研究所� she said in an interview with Black Press Media.
害羞草研究所淚 just thought, I害羞草研究所檓 going to go for it.害羞草研究所�
She was hired on Sept. 14, 1992, along with Isabel Ruediger, to become Surrey害羞草研究所檚 first professional female firefighters. Ruediger is currently captain at Hall 4 in Guildford and Innes is retiring as captain of Hall 8 in Cloverdale 害羞草研究所� where she leads a crew of 16 firefighters over four shifts 害羞草研究所� at 8 a.m. Thursday, after her last shift.
害羞草研究所淗opefully it害羞草研究所檚 not too crazy of a night shift,害羞草研究所� she chuckled.
Virginia MacDonald was the first woman hired to the department, as a secretary. Jean Turley and Heather Beaton were the first volunteer firefighters in Surrey, signing on in 1960.
But Innes and Ruediger are the first professionals, working full time.
害羞草研究所淭here was no women in the Lower Mainland at that time, if my memory serves right,害羞草研究所� Innes told the Now-Leader. 害羞草研究所淭here were volunteer firefighters around, but no professionals. We were in the same group 害羞草研究所� we were in a group of 16.
害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 know, when I applied, that there was no women, until I started doing more research,害羞草研究所� she recalled.
Today Surrey has 14 female firefighters out in the field, fighting fires, of about 360 firefighters all told. But counting dispatchers, Surrey Fire Service currently has 40 women in uniform.
Last call? The alarm rings at Hall 8, and Nancy Innes and her crew are on the road to help someone. (Photo: Tom Zytaruk)
Innes wants women to know that firefighting is a good career option for them.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 still not a lot of women that apply to be firefighters. I think it害羞草研究所檚 important that they know it is a viable career for women. Hopefully they害羞草研究所檒l see more women on the trucks and that sort of thing. If you grow up only seeing men on fire trucks everywhere you look, you probably don害羞草研究所檛 think of it as a women害羞草研究所檚 career, but it really is. It害羞草研究所檚 been a really good career.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 really hard physical work, and it害羞草研究所檚 exciting,害羞草研究所� she noted. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e had people come up to me 害羞草研究所� like at Guildford mall one day I was going through with a fire crew and this young bride came up and said, 害羞草研究所楾hanks for saving my dad害羞草研究所檚 life.害羞草研究所� We had done CPR on him a month before, and he had survived. We never know, because they go away in the ambulance and we don害羞草研究所檛 ever see them again.
害羞草研究所淎nother month later the dad came by, and said thank you. So that was pretty cool.害羞草研究所�
Besides Cloverdale, Innes has also worked in Guildford, Newton, Whalley and South Surrey.
When she became a professional firefighter, at age 26, she said, she didn害羞草研究所檛 encounter much resistance from her male colleagues.
害羞草研究所淭here were certain firefighters that weren害羞草研究所檛 as happy about it, but mainly not, because Surrey was growing so fast I think it helped, like there was lots of new firefighters coming in, it was quite progressive.害羞草研究所�
Innes lives in Surrey. Her husband and fellow firefighter Dave Baird, who is captain at Hall 13, expects to retire next year. They have three sons, and Innes looks forward to traveling 害羞草研究所� first stop, Portugal.
What will Innes miss most about her job?
害羞草研究所淒efinitely the people I work with, I害羞草研究所檒l miss害羞草研究所he camaraderie,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 like going to calls that you have to figure things out at, there害羞草研究所檚 lots going on and you have to figure out what your plan is. I won害羞草研究所檛 miss the tragedy side of things. Like death, and people in pain, you know, you don害羞草研究所檛 like seeing that.害羞草研究所�
What has she seen change, from a female firefighter害羞草研究所檚 perspective, over the course of her lengthy career in Surrey?
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 changed technology wise, even the trucks and that sort of thing, but as far as being women? There害羞草研究所檚 more women害羞草研究所檚 bathrooms. Like the newer halls are more accommodating so we have women害羞草研究所檚 locker rooms and stuff in the newer halls,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭he older halls, they still might have only one room with a shower or whatever, but you just lock the door, same as in a house. They are trying to get more women害羞草研究所檚 clothing, and that sort of thing, which is nice. Our turnout gear is all custom, so it fits you perfectly, so it doesn害羞草研究所檛 matter if you害羞草研究所檙e a man or a woman. The testing is similar 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 the same for everyone, for whoever applies. Same standard for everyone.害羞草研究所�
Surrey Fire Chief Larry Thomas says Innes 害羞草研究所渋s proof that women can have long and fulfilling careers as firefighters. As Nancy moves into a well-earned retirement, I know her pioneering work will inspire other women to fill her place within the ranks of the Surrey Fire Service.害羞草研究所�
Mayor Doug McCallum described her as 害羞草研究所渢ruly a trail blazer and inspiration for women who want to make a career out of firefighting.害羞草研究所�
Incidentally, our interview at Hall 8 was abruptly ended by an alarm concerning a medical call and Innes and her crew were swiftly out the door.
A busy Surrey firefighter, to the last.
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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