Honor. Courage. Sacrifice. Greenwood City Lifestyle asked local female first responders and public service professionals from where they get their unwavering, day-to-day inspiration for their careers.
The following seven women represent White River Township Fire Department, anchored from Greenwood-based stations:
Anne Peege, civilian paramedic, says she returned to further education in her 30s so she could do something "outside of the box" in the medical field. She adds, "Helping people in different emergency settings is one of the most inspiring parts of this job. However, we see people on some of their worst days, and I appreciate being able to make a positive difference for them. I try to treat patients like I would want my kids or parents treated when they're scared and can't understand what all is going on during an emergency."
Brittany Chisholm, civilian paramedic, says since she was very young, she wanted a career through which she could help others; at first, she considered becoming a doctor. "But I really appreciate being able to be the first one there for someone going through an emergency, to be the peace in their storms," she explains. "I don't want them to feel alone. And, I like showing my two daughters they, too, can break 'the glass ceiling.'"
Brittney Thomas, civilian paramedic, is a former middle school teacher. "Now as a paramedic, I still get to educate students about this type of career, and hope that I'm inspiring them to find a job they can be so passionate about, it doesn't feel like a job. I'm thankful to serve my community with compassion and empathy."
Chelsea Spina, a civilian paramedic for the past 18 years, says she enjoys being a role model to her six children, showing them, especially her two daughters, they can tackle complex goals. She says it's great to have many more women as paramedics compared to two decades ago. "I really enjoy helping people in their own environments, because that's where they feel the most comfortable about being open so I can learn about them and help them the most," she adds.
Kelsey Gray, civilian paramedic, verifies the urge to help people motivates her, along with making a positive difference in the community. She previously worked for a decade as a medical assistant in urgent care, emergency services and doctor offices, and says she enjoys the constant change in her current role. "I also want to provide a good example to my three daughters and show them that they can accomplish whatever they want to."
Miranda Jansen, EMT, shares that she's motivated by helping the community and individuals. "Working at the firehouse is like having a second family. Some people apologize after calling 911 or stopping by the station because they believe it's burdening us, but they didn't know what else to do. That's sweet of them, but helping them is why we do what we do. One of the challenges to daily calls is determining what might be really happening overall with someone's health, after getting called into what's actually a symptom, like difficulty breathing."
Tracey Meacham, EMT, confirms that being able to help others in their time of need, any time of the day, motivates her day-to-day. "We spend 24 hours away from our families, which is about a one-third of our lives. We have our home families and our work families. Both are awesome," she proclaims. She says her passion areas are mental health and the elderly. "I enjoy helping to make 'their crises' better instead of worse. I wouldn't trade this job for the world!"
Additional White River Township Fire Department female EMT personnel include Alicia Fritschi, Cam Key, Brookelyn Lady-Kent, Tammy Mabrey, Makenzie Sego and Allison Smith.
Bargersville Community Fire Department include 18 EMS personnel: Abigail Burris, Brittany Chisholm, Kaycie Chittum, Cathy Durkalski, Morgan Harker, Cassandra Hartman, Katrina Held, Hallie Howard, Cameron Key, Kryrsten Lux, Mikinna Mascoe, Liza Nash, Tiffany Patterson, Jamie Rehm, Sierra Sichting, Amanda Swartz, Amanda Taylor and Holly Vandegriff.
Liza Nash says knowing that she's able to respond to others with compassionate care inspires her daily. "Meeting them where they are and helping them find care or resources in their time of need motivates me, even if they just need a listening ear," she adds.
Dana Ruark started with the Greenwood Fire Department during April 2018. Her primary responsibility is as a firefighter/EMT, however, she's also a backup engineer, being certified to drive the fire engine and operate the pump system on the apparatus. She also recently was cleared as a ride-out officer, which means that when there is not an officer on the rig, she steps in as acting officer for the time-being, as needed.
Greenwood City Lifestyle honors sacrifices made by local first responders, often at the cost of time with their own families. On behalf of readers, community leaders, business teams and volunteers, we salute you, while realizing no mere words seem truly adequate to express the admiration and gratitude you all deserve.
