In January the Holly Springs Fire Department became the first department in Wake County with an all-female crew. Lieutenant Kendall Stinson, engineer Kayelei Carter, and firefighters Joy Hernandez, Allison Krause, and Olivia Kulinski serve together on Holly Springs Engine 2.
“I don’t look at it like having an all-female crew,” says fire chief LeRoy Smith. “It’s a good crew. It just happens to be all female firefighters.”
“I want to say it’s new to us; it’s different than what we are used to, but it’s not at the same time,” says Kendall, a 10-year fire service veteran and mother of two. “We all know how to do our job. As long as we are doing the training and we are working together, I feel like we can do (this job) if not better, at least equal to any other truck.”
In addition to Kendall and her crew on Engine 2, four other female firefighters serve the Holly Springs Fire Department, spread throughout the other stations and shifts.
During her years as a firefighter, Kendall has seen access for women and minority groups increase, though she has never felt deterred as a woman in a male-dominated profession.
Engineer Kayelei Carter
“Being a firefighter has become somewhat easier as far as access to class. Now they are offering (fire academy) in high school, so it’s open to a variety of people, including females. Before you had to know somebody, or it was your dad, or a family tradition growing up in volunteer service,” she says.
“When you think of a firefighter, you picture a 6-foot-5 big guy. There’s women, bigger guys, smaller guys — anyone can do the job; they just do the job differently,” says firefighter Allison Krause.
LeRoy says that the female firefighters can offer a different perspective than their male counterparts.
“Any type of diversity (helps us) see things through a different lens. I think they bring a different view of things, which makes us all better.”
“To us it’s just a job. We are still doing the same job every other firefighter is doing,” says Kendall.
A job that offers adrenaline, excitement, and physical challenges, as well as opportunities for compassion, caretaking, and serving the community.
“You see really tough moments, and you also see really nice moments,” says firefighter Brittany Dolloff. “Having that relationship (with the citizens of Holly Springs) and knowing you are there for them is very rewarding.”
“We’ve seen life leave the world, and we’ve seen life come into the world. It’s got some ugly moments, and it’s got some really beautiful moments, and we get to experience all of it,” says Kendall.
The fire department responds to a variety of calls — fires, of course, but also smoke alarms, falls, pet rescues, and medical situations.
“The fire truck can 9 out of 10 times show up before the ambulance, so we can provide some medical care prior to the ambulance getting there,” Kendall says. “Every firefighter maintains EMT-Basic certification. Wake County EMS is really busy, so I think it’s a big benefit to have the fire truck respond to certain calls.”
Firefighter Joy Hernandez describes a call that the Engine 2 crew recently responded to: “About a month ago, we had a cardiac arrest (call). We got a pulse back, and that was really rewarding. There were so many things happening at once, and it could have gone left or right, but we were able to be there for someone on their worst day.”
“Being an officer on a call like that and reflecting on how everybody operated is a proud moment,” says Kendall. “Being able to watch (the crew) work, and watch our training go into effect — it makes me pretty proud.”
On July 19, lightning struck a home in Holly Springs, sparking a large fire. Brittany Dolloff was one of the responders on that call.
Firefighter Olivia Kulinski
“Afterwards I walked the home with the family, because they were grabbing a few things. One of the things I was most excited about was we actually contained the fire completely to the attic, so they were able to recover most of their clothes. Their complete living level was still intact. For as much flame as there was, the outcome seemed really positive,” says Brittany. “By us knowing what to do in the right moments and following our training, it was all instinct. We probably were able to save a lot of things that mean a lot to (the homeowners). So that felt really good.”
On Mother’s Day, the Holly Springs Fire Department shined a spotlight on its female members, including mom Kendall, with a Facebook post celebrating the all-female crew. The post received hundreds of comments, many containing messages of support — but not all.
“I learned a lot about social media when we did that post,” says LeRoy.
“There are men in the fire service that don’t agree with (the all-female crew). That’s just the way it is,” says Kendall, citing negative comments originating from outside of HSFD and even outside of the town of Holly Springs.
“All that matters is the Holly Springs Fire Department. We’re the ones that have to work with each other. … If everyone here is together on the same page, then that’s all that matters. It does take support from our people and our peers. Our chief — all our chiefs — they have our back.”
“There was resounding support for (the crew) throughout our department,” says LeRoy.
The firefighters in Holly Springs — regardless of age, gender, and race — take the same Candidate Physical Ability Test to get hired. The test includes elements like climbing stairs, dragging a hose, carrying equipment, searching confined areas, and breaching a locked door. Firefighters complete the test twice a year, ensuring they are fit and capable of performing the requirements of the job.
“There is a place for everybody in the fire service,” says Kendall. “Dolloff is small enough that she can fit into a confined space, when some of our bigger boys are going to hold down a line and be the anchor for her to go down. There is a place for everybody. You don’t necessarily have to be huge and strong.”
“It’s like a sports team,” adds Brittany. “When you have a basketball team, you don’t have five centers. You also have a couple of point guards and a shooting guard.”
Despite the naysayers lurking behind a computer keyboard, the firefighters in the HSFD feel excited by the challenges of the job and eager to encourage other girls and women to consider a career in fire service.
“Believe you can do it and do it. Don’t wait,” says firefighter Madison Tart. “There’s nothing worse than looking back and regretting not doing it.”
“At 18, I would not have thought I would be here. Now we all know that it’s possible, and we are setting examples for young girls around the world,” says Kendall.
“It’s not every day that you see an all-female crew. There’s not many in the nation at all; it’s something new. As a total in Holly Springs, we are all pretty proud to be here.”
