According to the United States Census Bureau, National Women’s History Month traces its roots to March 8, 1857, when women from various New York City factories staged a protest over poor working conditions. The first Women's Day celebration in the United States was in 1909, also in New York City.

More than seven decades later, Congress in 1981 established National Women's History Week to be commemorated annually the second week of March. In 1987, Congress expanded the week to a month, and every year since has passed a resolution (and the president has issued a proclamation) designating March Women’s History Month.

Women have been firefighters for longer than most people realize: in fact, for almost 200 years. According to Women in Fire, the first woman firefighter known was Molly Williams, who was a slave in New York City and became a member of Oceanus Engine Company #11 in about 1815. By the mid-1970’s, women were becoming career firefighters here and there throughout the country.

The fire service has long been known for being one big family. It is more truly a family now than ever before, with the inclusion of ever-increasing numbers of women on fire departments in the U.S. and around the world.

More than 6,500 women now hold career firefighting and fire officer’s positions in the United States, with hundreds of counterparts in Canada, Great Britain, and other countries throughout the world. Among the volunteer and paid-on-call fire and EMS forces in the United States are women firefighters, EMT’s and paramedics. The history of these women and their foremothers is long and proud, and continues to be written.

Women play different roles in the fire service: firefighter, officer, chief, paramedic, EMT, fire inspector, arson investigator, fire safety educator, training instructor and leaders. They work in cities and small towns, the forest and the desert.

Women are dedicated volunteers and career professionals. They are of all ages and races speaking many languages. For all women differences, women have still more in common: our love of the work we do, our dedication to service, and our commitment to excellence.

Today’s fire service plays a critical role in protecting people and property from a myriad of challenges. That role is enhanced when we prioritize the hiring and promotion of diverse candidates, including female firefighters, to be reflective of our communities and the overall US labor pool. It is refreshing to see positive signs of change in the fire service, and promising that there is a desire to cultivate even more change in the future.

The attached article is written by Dr. Candice McDonald, a great service leader.

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