When Shanelle Frederick graduated as a firefighter this month, the significance of her entry into the service was not lost on the 26-year-old as she became the fourth female in the Cayman Islands Fire Service ranks.
In fact, the Prospect resident joined the service with the intention of blazing a trail for young Caymanian women in the male-dominated agency.
“I wanted to make a change in the department because there’s so little females, and also because I really wanted to help my community,” Frederick told the Cayman Compass at the George Town Fire Station where she has been posted.
Currently the service has a staff of 152 fire personnel, including the division managers, deputies and Fire Chief Randy Rankin.
Fight to the finish
Frederick, who was among the 12 latest recruits to join the Fire Service, was the first female to make the cut in the last five years and now joins Tina Ebanks-McBean Deputy Chief (Administration,) firefighter Amelia Gillispie and Tiffany Ebanks Station manager (Fire Inspection,) all of whom have progressed up the ranks.
Looking back at her training, Frederick said it was not easy getting to the finish line
“At some points it was very hard, but I had a lot of coaches who were just motivating and never let me give up,” she said, adding that the theoretical part was the hardest for her.
“Just having to know everything about the trucks, the ladders, the dynamics of fire… everything. It was pretty intense and you learn a lot that you never knew as an outsider,” she said.
Though it has been a week since she took up official duty as a firefighter it still seems like a dream, she said.
“It’s a big honour, truthfully, because I get to serve my country now,” Frederick said, proudly wearing her Fire Service embossed kit.
She said it meant the world to her joining the service since she gets “to help my community and save lives, protect property, all that good stuff”.
Frederick has already responded to her first 911 call on the job, a motor vehicle accident.
She said it was a nerve-racking feeling going on on her first call.
“It was a lot of butterflies because I expect the worst so that I can be prepared,” she said, but when she arrived at the scene Frederick said it was “a relief that no one was hurt and we didn’t have to do anything major”.
In the end, she said she had to pour sand over oil that was spilt on the road.
No special treatment
Looking back on her training, Frederick said while it was intimidating being the lone female in her class, she knew she “had to perform and be as good as them [the men,] or even better”.
In the end, having graduated, Frederick said, “It was a good feeling knowing that I can keep up with the boys.”
She said she has no doubts joining the service, and encouraged other young women to do the same.
“I would say do it. It’s very rewarding. We need more women in the service,” she said.
Fellow female firefighters Gillispie and Ebanks agree.
Though they are at varying ranks, Gillispie and Ebanks share similar views when it comes to the vision they have for the future composition of the Fire Service.
Ebanks says her hope for the next 10 years is to “definitely [see] more diversity… to have more females within the service”.
As she encouraged young women to consider a career in the Fire Service, Gillispie said, “don’t be scared of working with a lots of men because it’s not that hard”.
The former PE teacher and Cayman Brac athlete, added, “you just got to stand your ground and show the guys that you’re equal to them”.
“That’s what I’ve done for the five years. I’ve just tried to work equal to them and show them that even though I’m a female I am also equal to them and [there’s] no special treatment. Their motto here is equality,” she said.
Ebanks, who has 19 years of service under her belt, agreed when it comes to work there is no differentiation of the sexes which is the way the women want it as well.
“They always tell me, ‘equality Amelia… equality. Okay, fine I’m not scared’… I can do it probably even better than you guys,” Gillespie said jokingly.
Though they both agree there have been some bumps along the way, the women and their male counterparts have mutual respect.
“They welcome me with open arms. I’m a part of the family now. We work pretty tight together. It is still male dominated, but we do encourage females to join and we work together just to make the service world class,” Ebanks added.
Gillispie, who works in the aviation/aerodrome department, is training to drive the new Oshkosh Striker Aviation Fire Trucks which she said is exciting since she will be the only female qualified to do so.
“I like pump engineer because I think it gives you a different feeling other than just rolling hoses and stuff. But driving a truck, that is awesome. I mean, from when I was young, my dad used to teach me how to drive trucks and… I would go with him because I [wanted to] get out of the house. So driving truck is awesome for me. That’s bigger than any other woman has done,” she said.
Gillispie and Ebanks welcomed the investment in training and opportunities they have been afforded.
Their simple advice to Frederick as she begins her career and to those who may be considering the Fire Service was “work hard and be proud of who [you are”].
“Just believe in your goals and strive for it, and you’ll get it, you’ll accomplish it,” Ebanks added.
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