“It doesn’t make a difference whether you’re male or female, it’s one standard to become a firefighter,” said Raymond VanMarter, deputy fire marshal for the Ocean County Fire and First Aid Training Academy in Waretown.
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| Photo by Jack Reynolds
Trailblazer: Heidi Michel's fire prevention
career stands as a symbol for gender equality.
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“I’ve never felt that I have been treated any differently,” said Michel. “If anything, I knew that I was going to have to prove myself and that I could do the job. I didn’t want to let anybody down. I wanted them to know that I could do the job and that I was going to give it 110 percent. I don’t think I could have ever become the deputy chief if there ever was (any gender discrepancies).”
Michel has volunteered as deputy chief for the past two years. She began volunteering as a firefighter nearly 14 years ago. There are currently three female firefighters, including Michel, who serve in the local volunteer fire company.
The deputy chief was given a special proclamation during the Stafford Township Council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in recognition of her receiving the 2012 Fire Prevention Inspector of the Year award for her work as the Stafford Township fire official. The annual award, presented by the New Jersey Fire Prevention and Protection Association, is given to a fire marshal who serves as an example of dedicated service and expertise in the field of fire protection as it relates to the enforcement of the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code. Michel has been conducting annual fire inspections and providing fire safety education and fire extinguisher training within the community for the past 10 years.
“This is a lady who has committed herself to the safety and well-being of our community,” said Stafford Mayor John Spodofora. “Working during the day to educate businesses, schools, civic groups, etcetera about ways to prevent fires is just her day job. The reality is that she spends 24/7 fighting fires when the alarm sounds. Regardless of the weather or the time of night, she is there volunteering her time and life protecting our residents.
“Heidi is an inspiration to all of the young women, showing that anyone can be anything they want and never let any glass ceilings or barriers stand in the way of doing what you love. Heidi comes from a family of firefighters, and her dedication and commitment, along with her knowledge, has earned her this honor. However, it is not the plaque or award that matters; it is the achievement of being one of the best of the best and the lives she has helped save,” he added.
VanMarter considers all of the area fire companies to be equally accepting of female firefighters and said Stafford Township’s members are no exception. Spodofora agreed.
“Stafford is proud of all of our first responders. We are proud of every female firefighter,” he stated. “Most importantly, we are proud of the dedication each of them has shown during every emergency: hurricanes, a tornado, numerous fires, chemical and fuel spills and accidents. Each and every day Heidi and her fellow firefighters put their lives on the line for all of us.”
Alongside Ocean County’s Deputy Fire Marshal William Gee, who was recently named the 2013 Fire Prevention Officer of the Year, Michel will be recognized for the 2012 award on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Palumbo’s Restaurant in Tinton Falls. Last year’s November ceremony was canceled due to Superstorm Sandy.
“It’s very unique,” said Michel. “I think there’s one other female fire official in the state of New Jersey. There’s a lot of female firefighters, but there’s not a lot of female fire inspectors or fire officials.”
Having grown up in Stafford around family members who volunteered at the local firehouse, Michel decided to give up her career as a medical assistant to obtain a bachelor’s degree in fire science. Her interest in investigating the cause and effect of fires as well as her yearning to educate the community about the importance of fire safety outweighed her decision, she said. She is now in the process of obtaining a master’s degree in emergency services management.
“I think more women are starting to get into this field,” said Michel. “There’s more paid fire departments, so more women are becoming firefighters. But I also feel that more women are wanting to get into the fire prevention side, the inspection side, the education side of it. Things are changing.”
As with her male counterparts, Michel also went through the training program at the Ocean County Fire and First Aid Training Academy. The program is a rigorous and lengthy curriculum that includes just less than 200 hours of course training on various subjects from building construction, ropes and knots, ladders and hazardous materials to fire behavior and fire extinguishers, said VanMarter. Over an approximate six-month period, he said, classroom participation is required two nights a week and hands-on training is required every other weekend.
“Most of our students and certainly our instructors are pretty accepting of everybody, as long as you’re capable of doing the job,” said VanMarter. “You really see that (gender) stigma going away. I don’t consider it anymore as an instructor, to be quite honest with you. It’s not whether you’re male or female or short or tall; it’s can you do the job. The number (of female firefighters) is gradually going up. Where it used to be one or two, now you see maybe five or seven when you start a program.”
As a member of the academy since the early 1980s, VanMarter said he has seen an increase of female firefighters entering the industry over the past 10 to 15 years. Having led the fire-training program in Waretown for the past 11 years, he believes gender discrepancies among firefighters have dissipated in the area.
— Kelley Anne Essinger
This article was published in The SandPaper.
This article was published in The SandPaper.
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