But City Manager Ann McGlone dispelled that notion in a recent phone interview, saying the absence of female firefighters is because none have formally applied. Despite the lack of separate showering facilities and a common sleeping area, the city would be able to accommodate qualified female firefighters, McGlone said.

“The city can and will hire female firefighters,” the city manager said. “So far, we have not had any females apply. If a female candidate does apply and is selected, we will make it work.”

City officials posited the lack of adequate space to accommodate both genders as a reason for $10.3 million bond referendum last November, but voters rejected the measure by a 3-to-1 margin.

More recently, the lack of female firefighters came into greater focus following a July 15 North Central News report about the number of fire department vacancies.

The retirement of former chief Bill Hagendorf after 20 years of service will bring to five the number of vacancies after a fellow firefighter’s retirement by month’s end. Assistant Fire Chief Buddy Kuhn is acting as interim department chief.

The article sparked renewed discussion among residents – both privately and on the MyAlamoHeights Internet portal – speculating whether the lack of any women on the force is attributable to the lack of separate sleeping and showering facilities.

In response, McGlone pointed to Kuhn’s expertise in past positions he has held, as evidence of the city’s preparedness in accommodating women into the force should any apply.

“Chief Kuhn was directly involved in hiring three female firefighters in Terrell Hills and has experience in providing fair and adequate accommodations in older stations,” McGlone said.

She noted the city has received inquiries from female applicants in the past, but none submitted an application. To her knowledge, the city has never turned down a female applicant because of facilities, she added.

We have the ability to build partitions,” McGlone said, ticking off a list of makeshift measures the city could undertake upon hiring a woman firefighter.

“We have locks on bathrooms; we have extra showers in the Henderson houses; we already have dress code regulations. We will be prepared when and if we hire a female firefighter to provide fair and equal accommodations.”

Her reference to “Henderson homes” alluded to nearby residential real estate on Henderson Street previously purchased by the city to accommodate growing staffing needs in light of overall cramped conditions.

One of those residential properties is the two-story home behind the fire department once owned by Naomi Russell Wolfman before its acquisition to accommodate fire department office functions.

Willis, a 26-year-old Spring resident, is the first and only female graduate of the program.

“At first the guys would try to carry things for me and do things for me,” Willis said. “It was hilarious. Eventually they stopped.”

Willis is a petite lady, standing 5-feet-4 and weighing 130 pounds. Her fellow male students couldn’t help but offer to be gentlemanly, and there was some good-natured teasing from the guys about whether or not she would make it to graduation.

“I told them ’see you there,’” Willis laughed.

Not only did she make it, she did so with straight A’s and in the top 10 percent of her class.

Program Director Keith Campbell said Willis’ accomplishment has been positive for the academy, and hopefully influential.

“Kari outscored almost every other student in every aspect of the course, and physically, she unabashedly gave everything she had on every task,” Campbell said. “I hope the program can get more women like her.”

There is a lot more to fire other than the fact it’s hot, enough to where the college program spans two semesters.

Willis learned about the different fuels that burn, different ways to put out fires, the essentials of firefighting, and there’s even a text book devoted entirely to operating and driving fire trucks equipped with fire pumps.

Willis excelled at coursework, but being nose deep in a textbook is one thing. Getting in the line of fire is altogether different.

Willis experienced that aspect at The Woodlands Emergency Training Center’s five-story live burn tower, located on a 13-acre site approximately one mile north of the college campus. Willis also got a taste of the real thing by interning at The Woodlands Fire Department for a few weeks.

Willis, a 2002 graduate of Magnolia High School, grew up surrounded by law enforcement, but in a good way.

Her mother Linda Moore retired a few years ago from the Houston Police Department, where for 13 years she was a street patrol officer, followed by teaching defensive tactics to cadets at the police academy.

“I thought Kari would go into law enforcement, but I’m just as proud she chose the fire department,” said Moore, a Magnolia resident. “I knew she was doing well in the program, because I saw her studying all the time. But I have to say, she has really, really impressed me.”

Willis’ stepfather David Moore is currently a patrol officer with HPD.

Willis’ ultimate goal is to be a paramedic and firefighter. She is already an intermediate-level Emergency Medical Technician, and is certified with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. While Willis is taking a break this summer to enjoy being a newlywed – she got married two days after graduating from the fire science program – she is looking forward to a lifelong, exciting career.

“There’s always something new going on,” Willis said. “It’s not sitting in an office looking at a computer all day.”

Being accepted into the fire science program is a feat in itself. Eligible students have to meet physical fitness requirements including the ability to run 1.5 miles under 13 minutes and be able to lift at least 150 pounds.

Their weight must be in proportion to their height, and they have to submit a physician-signed physical exam form.

Applications to the fire science academy are currently being accepted at Lone Star College-Montgomery for the class of 2010-2011.

Willis’ advice for potential students, both male and female?

“Start working out now,” Willis said. “Especially pushups and pull-ups.”

Historically, firefighting has been regarded as primarily a male activity. Nonetheless, there have been numerous women who actively fought fire alongside their male counterparts.

In 1973, Sandra Forcier became the first known female paid firefighter in the U.S., paving the way for future generations of female firefighters.

Cloverleaf Volunteer Fire Department holds the record for the greatest number of active female firefighters, a choice Fire Chief Michael Battise says adds variety to the department.

“We are an equal opportunity employer,” says Battise. “We do not discriminate against anyone. Our biggest plus here in the department is our recruiting. We go out and find people who want to join the department, male or female, and give them the training necessary to do so.”

Doug Clough, deputy chief of administration says for some time there has been resentment from women against this predominantly male profession.

“When women can’t have another female to relate to, they shy away,” says Clough. “But here we have nearly seven active female firefighters, and the new recruits are able to come on board and have someone to look up to.”

For Myrtis Lester, 56, her dedication to the job has inspired numerous others to prove they to can do the job, and credits the department’s recruiting efforts for giving females an equal chance to prove their perseverance.

“When I came to the department in 2003, there were only three female firefighters; today there are seven,” Lester says. “I came to the department because I wanted to make a difference and to give something back to the community that I have lived in for 30 years. As a member of the Recruitment and Retention Committee, we want our volunteers to feel excited and to feel connected. We must continue to train, inspire, recruit, mentor, and to make changes where needed.”

Everyone has his or her reasons for wanting to become something, but sometimes it’s the motivation that inspires the drive to do so.

Mary Shish, one of the newest volunteers at CVFD, says her story is one that began with the devastating loss of her parents, which fueled her desire to learn more about fire prevention.

“After the loss of my mother and stepfather in a house fire in 1989, I always wondered what went on behind the scenes of fire rescue. CVFD has given me the opportunity to learn this and to utilize the information and techniques to help others.”

Shish says volunteers do not serve because they have to, but because they want to.

“The firefighting profession in general teaches you leadership, teamwork, motivation and safety; but, each person needs their own self motivation to be able to perform these skills in becoming a firefighter.”

Ever since she was 5 years old, 20 year-old Ellen Godoy has always been interested in EMT/fire fighting.

“I’m the youngest female volunteer firefighter at CVFD,” she says. “What made me interested in fire fighting is when I would visit my friend at the station; I would sometimes hear the alarm and get an adrenaline rush.”

Godoy says that, as a female in the department, she has never encountered unfairness or mistreatment, giving her the reassurance to continue to do what she loves best.

“I like the idea of saving and helping others. My future goal is to become a certified firefighter and EMT. The guys here at the station are amazing. If you mess up they won’t yell. When you got back to the station after a call, they would go over the mistake you did. They’re just amazing,” Godoy says.

According to the U.S. Census, there are more than 8,500 female firefighters in America, a number sure to keep growing in the near future.

Draycott tried to return to fire station 54 back in January but a captain read a letter during roll call, saying she wasn’t to be trusted and that he was afraid for his safety.

Several people from that station have since been reassigned since that happened.

“We joked about this amongst ourselves,” said Captain Bonnie Richter, a 14 year veteran of the Houston Fire Department. “I think it’s pretty cool between us, but it shouldn’t be different for anyone else.”

Richter was joined on shift by three other women, who either through rotation or prior scheduling, found themselves in the glare of history at fire station 10.

“We’re going to do the same job that we came to do this morning. It’s not going to be different for us,” added Richter.

The all-female crew responded to emergency calls in their district hours after Mayor Annise Parker announced the unprecedented assignments during her state of the city address.

“The first all-women fire crew is actually going to be on shift today for the first time in Houston’s history and it’s about time,” said Parker.

Members of the crew said they hoped not to be singled out for any special recognition, calling themselves no different from anyone else.

HFD is facing intense scrutiny over the way the department treats female firefighters.

“If you look at the numbers we seem kind of small in number,” added Richter. “But we do have quite a few women in the department. I think that most of the guys have gotten used to that now.”

In time, they say they hope Houstonians get used to seeing an all-female fire crew.

“I wanted a challenge and I definitely got it,” said Hickman, an 18-year-old senior at Sharpstown High School.

Hickman was one of 21 high school female students from six Houston Independent School District schools, including Waltrip High School, participating in Camp Houston Fire.

The girls spent the weekend of Feb. 26 at the Houston Fire Department’s Training Academy.

“It was absolutely unforgettable,” Hickman said. “You had to keep your mindset to where you wouldn’t panic.”

Kim Phillips, an HFD engineer and firefighter, said the weekend began in the classroom, where the girls learned about safety and the science behind fire. From there, it was rappelling, search and rescue, emergency medical services and even a live burn.

“I think it convinced a few that firefighting was not for them,” Phillips said. “But I think we also convinced more than a few to put it on their career option list.”

Hickman said the “absolutely unforgettable” experience has her asking what the next step is to becoming a firefighter. “It had crossed my mind before, but now it’s definitely leaning more towards the ‘definite’ side,” Hickman said.

That’s what Phillips likes to hear. As founder of the HFD Sirens, one of Phillips’ goals is to encourage young women to consider firefighting as a career.

Houston FD Assistant Chief Karen DuPont, who oversees recruiting for the department, said young women don’t realize firefighting is an option for them. “We don’t have a lot of parents telling their daughters ‘hey honey, when you grow up, you can be a firefighter,’ ” DuPont said. “But if you like being outdoors and you like being athletic, why not try it?”

DuPont said having a balanced workforce in terms of how many men and how many women is always an improved workforce.

This comes despite the fact Station 54 on Aldine Westfield has been in the news. Last summer, racist and sexist graffiti was scrawled on the walls of the female firefighters’ dorm.

The HFD camp, and the creation of the Sirens, had nothing to do with that, Phillips said.

“Our women’s group has been active for a year and a half now,” Phillips said. “It’s something we would have done anyway. It’s not even in response to 54.

“We started getting together, mostly for dinner and conversation. A social club, really.”

“There are only 105 females in the Houston Fire Department, among nearly 4,000 altogether in the department,” said Phillips, who has been a Houston firefighter for eight years, currently out of Station 33 in the Texas Medical Center. Since then, the Sirens has grown to include the camp, which will be held again in the fall, as well as a mentoring program for women training at the academy.

“Everyone has to be qualified at the same level. There are not, nor should there ever be different standards for women, no way,” Phillips said. “So what we can do is show them there’s a whole support system out there of women who have gone before them.”

Phillips, who lives in Austin on her off days, said part of the intention of the camp was to blow fire-fighting stereotypes away. “We wanted to show the girls they can do it,” Phillips said.

With that in mind, more than 60 women from Houston Fire Department were on hand for camp, as well as 20-25 men.

“We all love what we do,” Phillips said. “This is a fantastic job.”

Julie Scott, an 18-year-old senior at Waltrip High School, had an idea of what to expect at camp because her father, Michael, is a retired Houston firefighter. But there’s nothing like actually experiencing it.

“The one thing was not being able to turn my neck easily,” Scott said. “I’m used to being able to turn around and look at stuff. You feel like you’re kind of stuck.”

But she did not panic, something that’s critical when battling smoke and flames.

“I think I could be a real firefighter,” Scott said, “but I’m not sure yet if it’s something I want to do.”

• Age requirement: Must be between the ages of 19 and 36
• College hours: must have a minimum of 60 college hours to apply
• Physical fitness: get fit and stay fit, as training at the academy is for five months
• More information: visit www.hfdcareers.org.
Source: Kim Phillips, Houston FD

This is a drill, and the firefighters are all high school students. More importantly, though, they’re all girls.

“Knowing there aren’t a lot of women in the fire field, it made me want to try a new challenge for us,” said 18-year-old Azalea Escobar.

Today, only 2.6 percent of Houston’s firefighters are women and within the next five years, 60 percent of them will be eligible for retirement.

“You do get a sense of isolation,” said Kim Phillips, a Houston Fire Department engineer.
That’s why Phillips helped organize Camp Houston Fire, a weekend-long training exercise for juniors and seniors in high school.

“To show more women what a fantastic job this is,” she explained. “And the way to do that is to break down some stereotypes and build confidence in the young ladies.”

The camp was put on by the HFD Sirens, an organization of the Houston Fire Department’s women firefighters with some modest goals. “It’s been a while since we’ve hired a significant number of females and we know it’s going to be a slow, steady process.”

Their camp’s first 21 students charged into a burning structure, scaled ladders, and performed a search and rescue operation.

“It’s like one of those once in a lifetime things. You won’t find any of this anywhere else,” said Jasenia Garcia, after helping pull a dummy from a smoke filled building.

Though still in high school, Garcia and her fellow classmates could be eligible to sign up with the Houston Fire Department in as little as two years.

“It’s so male dominated,” said Ariana Arrambibe, who said she’s now considering a future in firefighting.

”I never thought I’d actually be like, you know, maybe this would be cool to do. For real, for real.”

Organizers are already planning their next camp for this fall. They’ll be looking for 28 more women willing to give firefighting a shot.

The mayor says decisions that were made early on in this investigation may have made it hard to come to a conclusion and now she worries a suspect, or suspects, may never get named.

“Whether we can move forward with a resolution of this incident, I don’t know and that is a source of frustration,” said Houston Mayor Annise Parker.

After eight months of trying to track down who drew racist and sexist graffiti on the walls and personal pictures of two female firefighters at Station 54, Mayor Parker acknowledged Tuesday there are still no clear answers.

The mayor blamed decisions made in the fire department and actions by the former police chief for hindering the investigation.

“I am somewhat frustrated that (former) Chief Harold Hurtt sent the investigation onto the FBI because it is not a new investigation by the FBI, it is simply a review,” said Mayor Parker.

The Office of Inspector General says there is simply not enough evidence to name a suspect. DPS and the FBI have both been called in to review findings, but officials believe they’ll like come to the same conclusion.

While the news is disturbing for the attorney of Jane Draycott, he says he’s not surprised.

“They didn’t seem to want to look at other people. All that makes you very, very suspicious,” said attorney Joe Ahmad.

He says from the beginning his client was targeted by OIG investigators, saying she was the first to submit to a lie detector test and the first to undergo handwriting analysis. While the agency denies that, saying it was typical protocol, Ahmad believes an outside agency should have looked at the case from the start.

“All to find out that they really have no idea who did this, so the perpetrators are at large still. You can imagine that is not the most comforting thought out there,” said Ahmad.

The FBI is still reviewing a portion of this investigation. We’re told that involves the handwriting analysis. Officials with the OIG expect those results at the end of this month.

Grass fires are the most prevalent in the department’s primary area of first response. The new truck has a foam system, front end ground nozzles, two side slots which provides protected areas for firemen, a flow meter and a long extension hose with mechanical retract reel.

The truck was purchased with a grant from the Texas Forestry Service, with assistance from the Big Country Resource, Conservation, Development Board, and some local funding through the department. It is the first new truck the department has had in its 27 year history. It will replace a 1962 fire truck the department acquired from the Sweetwater Fire Department in 1987. The 20 member department is the first responder for most of northeast Nolan County including all areas around Lake Sweetwater, FM 1856 and FM 2035.

Kathy Arrant, one of the three female volunteer firemen in the department, best expressed the membership’s general feeling by saying “Wow”! Other members, while observing the operational instructions from Mr. Steele, were mostly concerned about being able to remember all the bells and whistles of the new truck. Fire Chief John Luckey assured the membership that training sessions will be held to familiarize members with the operation of the new truck. And as one fireman quipped, “It is like Christmas in February.”

“What they’re doing is really trying to find out what people believe and why in Station 54,” Michel said. “The reason is to try to improve the environment.

Michel said the interviews are not disciplinary.

Last summer, both Draycott and firefighter Paula Keyes left Station 54 after finding racist and sexist graffiti scrawled on the walls of their dorm after the two complained for months of harassment. Keyes is back at work at another station.

When Draycott tried to return on Jan. 13, a captain began reading a list of grievances about why he and others did not return to the station. Draycott said the members of the station also confronted her with “insulting” rumors about why they too did not want her to return and even questioned her sanity in front of several commanding officers, including then-Fire Chief Phil Boriskie.

Mayor Annise Parker called the confrontation a display of “poor judgment” on the part of Boriskie and members of the command staff who were present. A week later, Boriskie resigned as chief.

The law firm is only interviewing Station 54 firefighters who publicly aired an opinion last month about why they did not want Draycott to return, Michel said.

“The goal is to basically have a work environment at 54 where the firefighters can work together and trust one another and have Ms. Draycott return there if that is what she chooses sometime in the future,” Michel said.

“It was a recommendation I had to Mayor Parker and in response to want to get this matter resolved,” he said.