When Heroes Run Into the Fire – Firefighters, We Love You
They run towards the fire.
With purpose and courage, real-life heroes have been fighting California flames for days now, and we are watching with clasped hands and held breath.
The devastation in Los Angeles is unimaginable.
Our awe for the firefighters is immeasurable.
We are watching hour by hour, with the next generation watching with us. And in addition to their questions about disaster, loss and safety are coming questions about courage, service and heroism.
How did she get to be a firefighter?
Could I do that too?
What would we do without so many firefighters and how did they get that brave?
Do they feel like heroes every single day?
Even in what seem like apocalyptic times, when girls have questions Être seeks answers. In this case, we started with role model NYFD firefighter Regina Wilson.
Image via Forbes
I first met Regina in 2023 at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit where she spoke passionately about perseverance. You can watch her full remarks here, and when we spoke afterwards her energy regarding next gen empowerment was apparent. This weekend, she offered fast and fact-packed answers to Être girls’ questions, and I was inspired all over again.
How did you get to be a firefighter?
“I never considered my career path as a firefighter,” began Wilson. “I was recruited at an expo in New York City…[p]rior to meeting the recruiter, I didn't think this would be a job that I would want to do. I was convinced to proceed because the recruiter said then there were not a lot of Black firefighters or women in the FDNY. That information is what intrigued me because I thought this career was honorable.”
“I wanted to find out why these groups did not want to join the fire service," she continued candidly. " I later learned that the FDNY is not a welcoming department for women and people of color, [and] I wanted to make this an opportunity to change the department. It is hard to consider if I would be able to succeed in this male dominated field.”
“I said yes to myself and my new purpose, so I trained hard for a year to join the department and studied for the exam. Although the department did not always provide an opportunity for real outreach for women and people of color, I knew that this is something that was worth fighting for; I did and am still doing today.”
Could we do that too someday?
Yes – and earlier than you think! Curious girls can find out about FDNY career pathways here…and early training grounds for the LAFD here. And Wilson adds this mentorship tip:
“The United Women Firefighters Association and the Vulcan Society were very helpful to my success as a firefighter. It was very hard being the only woman in a probationary firefighter school of 300 candidates. But I prevailed with the help of supportive family and friends. I later went on to become the President of both the United Women Firefighters Association and the Vulcan Society - so I can pay it forward for all the help I received.”
What would we do without so many firefighters and how did they get that brave?
We’d be in trouble without them…and we need even more!
According to LA County, in 2024 there were approximately 3,000 firefighters in LA County with less than 100 women serving in the department. These figures led to creation of The Women’s Fire Prep Academy (WFPA), the first program of its kind designed to raise those numbers. Since the WFPA’s founding the number of female firefighters in the LACoFD has doubled.
Images via the WFPA
Open to anyone 18 years and older, the WFPA “teaches participants how to develop physical fitness routines and provides hands-on training with tools and equipment, such as extension ladders, rotary saws and fire hose. At the end of the five-week program, participants gain a deeper understanding of the responsibilities of firefighting and what it takes to join this noble profession.”
And it is noble, indeed.
Do they feel like heroes every day?
I hope so. But as Wilson told us in closing: “Most firefighters do not feel like heroes every day. This is the work we all decided to do because we love the work and have sworn to serve the community. We love what we do every day, and we feel honored to be in the position to give back.”
We are honored as well, and as they give back we are resolved to have their backs.
For immediate ways to help firefighters and the wildfire victims, see the resources listed here, here and here. Updates are linked in the Êxtras section below and even more will continue to be posted on Être’s Instagram here. No effort is too small, and no helper is too young.
These are the heroes who run towards the danger.
May we do everything we can to support, spotlight and be worthy of their service.
Looking forward with heartbreak, gratitude and eyes on clearer skies,
Illana
ÊXTRAS: For updates on containment and evacuation figures, head directly to the LA Country Fire Department page; for the latest on school closures visit the LA County Office of Education page; and for continuous updates on weather and local news, stay with the LA Times live coverage here.
