Each year, March is dedicated as Women’s History Month, honoring the triumphs and struggles of women throughout history. The Ridge VFD would like to recognize and honor some of the trailblazing women who shaped the history of the U.S. fire service.

Despite making up a small portion of fire service members, women have been fighting fires for longer than most people realize. They have climbed the ladder, literally and figuratively, and have made a lasting impact on the industry. No doubt many of the names of women firefighters in the 19th and early 20th centuries have been lost to the historical record, but we do see glimpses from time to time. Take a look at some of the incredible achievements made by women in the fire service throughout U.S. history.

- 1818: The first woman firefighter in the United States that we know of was Molly Williams. Molly was an African-American slave in New York City and became a member of Oceanus Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 - Engine Company #11.

- 1910s: Women’s volunteer fire companies functioned in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Los Angeles, California.

- 1942: The first all-female forest firefighting crew was created (in California).

- 1960s: There were all-female fire companies in Kings County, California, and Woodbine, Texas.

- 1973: Over 100 years after the first paid male firefighter, Sandra Forcier became the first known paid female firefighter in the United States, working for the Winston-Salem (North Carolina) Fire Department. Forcier was a Public Safety Officer, a combination of police officer and firefighter. Retired at the rank of Battalion Chief.

- 1974: Judith Livers was hired by the Arlington County (Virginia) Fire Department, becoming the first woman career firefighter. Retired at the rank of Battalion Chief.

- 1982: Brenda Berkman took legal action against a discriminating physical test of the New York City Fire Department. After winning the case, she and about 40 other women became the first female firefighters in the history of New York City. Berkman was also the founder of the United Women Firefighters and the first openly gay professional firefighter in America. She retired from the FDNY in 2006 as a Lieutenant.

- 1993: Rosemary Bliss became the first female Chief of a career fire department with the Tiburon (California) Fire Protection District.

- 1994: Carrye B. Brown made history when she became the first female and the first African-American appointed as United States Fire Administrator at the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA).

- 2002: Approximately 2% of all firefighters in the U.S. were women.

- 2002: Rosemary Roberts Cloud becomes the first African-American woman to be appointed Fire Chief in the U.S., serving with the East Point (Georgia) Fire Department.

- 2018: Approximately 8% of firefighters in the U.S. were women (4% of career; 11% of volunteer)

- 2020: Tiffany Green became the first woman Fire Chief of the largest combination career and volunteer fire department in the nation; Prince George's County (Maryland) Fire/EMS Department.

- 2020: Flint (Mich.) Fire Department Deputy Chief Carrie Edwards-Clemons made history when she became the first female president of the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters (IABPFF). In 2018, she became the first female to achieve the rank of Deputy Chief in the 165-year history of the Flint Fire Department.

- 2020: Tonya Hoover is named the Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator at the USFA. As the senior career federal fire official, she is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the USFA. Previously, Hoover has served as a Fire Marshal/Battalion Chief for a local fire department, Deputy Campus Fire Marshal for the University of California at Berkeley, California Assistant State Fire Marshal, California State Fire Marshal, and the superintendent of the USFA's National Fire Academy.

- 2021: Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell was appointed by President Joseph Biden as the U.S. Fire Administrator at the USFA. She began her fire service career in 1987 as a fire department paramedic in the City of Memphis Fire Department, Memphis, Tennessee.