CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Changing the landscape of firefighting that's what more than two dozen women are doing in the Corpus Christi Fire Department (CCFD).
"It's just me and four other guys around, and I’m like, ‘I got this guys,' " Marissa Barrera, CCFD Engineer, said during her interview with Neighborhood News Reporter Alexis Scott.
Barrera has been saving lives with the department for 8 years. With no immediate family in the fire industry, Barrera is the first and only woman from her family to serve in this role. She has a daughter and hopes to inspire her and other young women to follow in her footsteps.
"I just say, 'You can do anything,' Barrera emphasized. "In this position, you’re expected to do everything that they [men] do. Having that woman’s perspective has come in handy a few times, especially with working in this field.”
Barrera described the time she assisted on an emergency call as a pregnant woman gave birth. Thanks to her medical experience, Barrera was able to successfully help the mother deliver a healthy baby boy. Barrera also credits having a different perspective on calls like that one to being a woman with a nurturing spirit. Although she's had to work harder to prove that she is more than capable of the job, she said the fight is all worth it, as long as she's helping others.
In Texas, about 4% of all professional firefighters are women. That number has since grown over the years. At the Corpus Christi Fire Department, there are at least 467 firefighters in total, both male and female. Of that number, only 29 are female.
“Absolutely, it is growing. I came from Wildland Fires before this, and the number is even lower, and I’ve been surrounded by more women here, so it's really good to be part of that,” Corpus Christi Firefighting Engineer Jess Johnston said.
Even fewer women serve in leadership or management roles in the fire department. Captain Brittany Fowler is one of them. She's been dedicated to the fire industry for almost 11 years.
Fowler told Scott that helping others had also been her passion, as Barrera had. She served in the military for years, but after her grandmother encouraged her to join the fire department, Fowler went ahead and took that leap of faith. Now she is the only female captain and one female battalion chief in the entire department.
There are also 11 Firefighter I Paramedics, three Firefighter II Engineers, and 10 Firefighter II Paramedics who assist in saving lives. There are also three trainee cadets in the academy right now. However, the idea that the fire industry is 'all about the men' is long gone.
"From a guy's perspective, they kind of see you as 'Oh, you're a woman.' Back in the day, this was all about men," CCFD Firefighting Engineer, Adriana Salas told Scott. "Honestly, just don't give up, if this is your dream continue to do it."
The Corpus Christi Fire Department is hoping to hire more firefighters, especially women. The department is currently accepting applications until January 10, 2025.
If you are interested in learning more about the department, find out more here.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
