Savana Palominos became a firefighter recruit with the St. Clair Township Fire Department three years ago at the age of 18.
As someone who loves helping people, as shown by her life guarding experience and her enrollment in the Lambton College paramedic program, it was a logical progression for her to follow in her stepfather’s footsteps and become a volunteer firefighter.
“I love working with my co-workers,” Palominos tells the Journal. “I joined when I was 18 and have loved it ever since. I love my fire brothers and sisters and feel close to them all. I am the youngest at our fire station and it feels as if my colleagues look out for me.”
The St. Clair Township Fire Department has fire stations located in Corunna, Brigden, Port Lambton, Courtright, Wilkesport and Beacher Ont. There are 150 volunteer firefighters, with nine of them being female, according to Richard Boyes, director of emergency services and fire chief.
“Recruiting has always been a challenge,” Boyes explains. “Volunteer firefighters are expected to carry a pager 24hr a day, 365 days per year. It is a big commitment. People also tend to be more transient these days and as a community gets bigger it creates a bigger demand for firefighters.”
Boyes explained that there is a recruitment drive every year in the search for new recruits for the department. Chief Boyes welcomes both female and males with an interest to apply during the recruitment drive, which usually occurs in the spring.
Recruits must undergo ongoing training that leads to certification as a firefighter. “Mandatory training is required whether volunteer or career firefighter,” says Boyes. “It is a task to get people certified but necessary. Cancers have become more prominent in the last 50 years, so it is safety first.”
A 2022 study by Cancer Care Ontario shows a significant increase in the rate of certain cancers among firefighters.
Palominos, Kristina Dewhirst and Michelle Maitland are three women who have taken on the role of volunteer firefighters in their community. Balancing their day jobs and personal lives, they dedicate their time and energy to protect others. They are the firefighters who stepped forward to share their stories with the Sarnia Journal so that others could know the effort and dedication that is involved in becoming a volunteer firefighter.
Palominos explains that the training is extensive as certification requires 200 hours of training. The training involves hazardous material (HAZMAT) and awareness training, training one evening per week, one live burn day per year simulation and as a recruit and they train with the nearby industrial plants to receive the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) designation.
Although the training is extensive and challenging Palominos says that there is a camaraderie amongst the firefighters, and she feels she can approach any of her colleagues for help or information.
“As the youngest at my fire station I have a lot to learn from my other firefighters and they are there for me,” she says. “We are close and even socialize with other firefighters and their families and do things together away from the department.”
Palominos believes the most rewarding aspect about her work is, “being able to help people and being there for people on their worst day. We are neighbours helping neighbours.”
Kristina Dewhirst joined the fire department in Courtright 30 years ago at the age of 16, following in her father’s footsteps. At that time, she was classified as a junior firefighter as she was under the age of 18, which meant that she could not attend fires.
Dewhirst remained as a volunteer firefighter until she was 25, when she left the department for 20 years to raise her children. Dewhirst has since rejoined the department as of a year and a half ago.
She returned to the department after beating breast cancer. “I wanted to prove to my children it’s not a death sentence but an opportunity to work that much harder to do what you want in life.”
Dewhirst says that when she originally joined the fire department it was a different time. “I was told that there is no place for a woman in a fire department and yes there were instances of harassment but from other departments not my own,” she says.
Dewhirst acknowledges that things have changed for the better since originally joining the department. “It’s like a family,” she says with a laugh. “When I first joined everyone was my surrogate father. Now it feels like everyone is my surrogate child.”
Dewhirst says that since being away from firefighting for 20 years, one of the challenges for her is the physicality of training as the requirements to be a firefighter are the same for women and men. Every firefighter must pass the agility test.
Dewhirst says that she and her colleagues do socialize together outside of firefighting. There is a closeness that the job tends to create. When asked about how she handles a difficult or tragic call, she said that she has been a nurse for 24 years and …“my husband is a fire captain with one of the industrial plants, so we’ve got that. We can bounce stuff off each other. I also tend to compartmentalize things and I also run. I have run my entire life.”
Dewhirst feels that by giving back to the community and being part of a “fire family” it gives her a sense of accomplishment. “It is a big commitment, but it is really rewarding. You get back everything that you put into it!”
Michelle Maitland joined as a volunteer firefighter a year ago. When asked why she became a volunteer firefighter she replies, “I always find myself helping people. I tend to run towards a problem rather than from it.”
Maitland is an outgoing individual who is actively involved in her community, having ran for political office as well as being one of the organizers of the 2024 St Clair River Run.
“Skills that are essential to being a firefighter are the ability to commit and function under stress, along with being able to listen and be observant,” says Maitland.
Maitland’s enthusiasm towards her fellow firefighters is palpable. There is a genuine connection with her fellow firefighters that she treasures. “They are all awesome people and I love them all,” she says.
"I now have a group that I can move mountains with!”
For more information on becoming a volunteer firefighter with the St. Clair Township Fire Department, visit the recruitment guide.