Since its formation 125 years ago, the Jamestown Fire Department has never had any female firefighters on its volunteer force. That is, until now.
Connie Jenkins, a 1996 graduate of Jamestown College, played basketball and ran track during her college years. She's now a case manager for South Central Human Services and said she's excited to be a volunteer firefighter.
"It's an honor and a privilege for me to give back to the city of Jamestown that's done so much for me in the last 16 years," she said. "And the guys (at the fire department) have been wonderful and welcoming. They're always willing to answer any questions I have."
For the next six months Jenkins will be on probation, learning and training. Fire Chief Jim Reuther said she'll have assignments to complete, various kinds of training and an open book test.
"We're preparing the apprentice to take the state test," he said. "All apprentices go through the six-month probation and we don't put them in a bad environment during that time."
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Although her previous experience didn't include hoses, ladder trucks and buildings, Jenkins doesn't come to the job unskilled. She fought forest fires in the mountains of Montana while working for the Bureau of Land Management during summer breaks from college. She said the BLM crew had five women. The crew all hiked to fires carrying equipment on their backs and fought the fire mostly by digging fire breaks and clearing away vegetation. After several days of intense physical labor they hiked back out.
"Fighting fire can be dangerous," Jenkins said. "You have to have the ability to think on your toes, work as a team and do problem solving quickly."
The last summer she worked for BLM was in 1995. Since her college graduation she has focused more on working for a living than working out, so she wasn't sure if she was physically prepared for the job.
The biggest hurdle to becoming a volunteer firefighter is passing the nationally-based physical test. Passing it relies heavily on upper-body strength.
"It's a tough test, but it's a one-time deal," said Reuther, who was one of the first to take the test here 20 years ago. "And some of the test is to protect our people."
Jenkins took it Oct. 16 along with a male applicant. Both clinched their positions as the 38th and 39th members of the fire department, but Jenkins said it was a challenge. All six stages of the test are timed. It includes a ladder climb wearing equipment, hose coupling and dragging with the nozzle on. They check height, dexterity, stamina and endurance. The vertical-hose pull tests arm strength and coordination, while the obstacle course tests agility.
But the worst part of the test is carrying a 145-pound dead-weight dummy up the practice tower at the fire department and then back down again. Jenkins made it, but she said she wondered at times during the test if she would.
There are a number of steps to take before the physical test. Jenkins filled out an application, had a physical, background check and an interview. Reuther said it's not only a "huge commitment" it's costly for the department to outfit a firefighter, so the process is complicated.
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"I thought about it for awhile before and after I filled out the application," Jenkins said. "I have to have permission from my employer to do this and my family has to be supportive. Luckily, I'm single and I have no family here."
Now that she's on board, Reuther said the department is doing its best to accommodate its sole female. Some of the work has been done over the years in anticipation of this and other adjustments have been done since Oct. 16, such as putting a deadbolt on the shower area.
"If there's more we need to do, I hope Connie will tell me," he said.
Asked why she wanted to be a firefighter, Jenkins answered as several other JFD volunteers have previously said.
"I wanted to help people," she said.
Sun reporter Toni Pirkl can be reached at (701) 952-8453 or by e-mail at tonip@jamestownsun.com
