THE GIRLS THAT GRADUATED FROM THE CAMP ARE FROM LEFT: AJAYDA JETTER, ISABELLA FERO, ANGEL EPONDULAN, DAMAYA WILLIAMS, BROOKE CLARK, SAMANTHA VIETMEIER, AND GABRIELLA MINTON-DESARRO (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)
Most people don’t usually associate Black women with being a firefighter.
Heck, most people don’t usually associate women in general with being a firefighter.
DAMAYA WILLIAMS, A CAMP PARTICIPANT, WITH THE “JAWS OF LIFE” TOOL.
But Lisa Epps-Cuda checks both boxes. Not only is she held in high regard as a firefighter-turned fire inspector/fire prevention officer with the City of Pittsburgh, but she wanted desperately to open a path for more women, especially Black women, to enter the field.
BROOKE CLARK, RIGHT, ONE OF THE CAMP PARTICIPANTS. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)
On Aug. 22, the first-ever “Girls Fire Camp” was held by the City of Pittsburgh. It was a week-long camp, held at the Fire Training Academy, on Washington Boulevard, and Ebenezer Baptist Church, in the Hill District. Seven girls participated in the camp—Brooke Clark, Gabriella Minton-DeSarro, Angel Epondulan, Isabella Ferro, Ajayda Jetter, Samantha Vietmeier, and Damaya Williams.
DAMAYA WILLIAMS, A CAMP PARTICIPANT, WITH THE “JAWS OF LIFE” TOOL.
Pittsburgh has more than 700 firefighters, but just four are women. The four women—Lisa Epps-Cuda, Lt. Lindsay Bihler, Lt. Kari Burnham and Judy Pudup—led the camp.
FOUNDER OF THE CAMP IS LISA EPPS-CUDA
“I’m so emotional right now,” Epps-Cuda said in a statement released by the city. “This is something I wanted to happen for four years and now to see it come to light and see how these girls are so enthusiastic to possibly become a City of Pittsburgh firefighter…I am so proud of them.”
FIRE CHIEF DARRYL JONES
The first days of the camp were held at Ebenezer. For example, Day 1 featured team-building exercises and health/physical fitness exercises; and Day 2 at the church was when the girls learned about rescue equipment, received CPR training and “Stop the Bleed” training (administered by Raina Lewis of Pittsburgh EMS), and saw a demonstration of a polygraph test (which is part of the hiring process to become a Pittsburgh firefighter).
On Wednesday, Aug. 24, the girls were off to the Fire Training Academy for gear fitting, a tour of the academy and an obstacle course practice. Graduation was held on Friday, Aug. 26, which is also when Mayor Ed Gainey declared that day as “Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Inaugural Girls Fire Camp Day” in the City of Pittsburgh.
“Young, Gifted & Determined” was the headline of the mayor’s proclamation. The city admitted that something had to be done to help close the gender gap that currently exists in the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire. “Whereas, the camp’s focus on empowering young women is vital to building a workforce reflective of Pittsburgh’s population” in the department, the proclamation, obtained by the New Pittsburgh Courier, read. “Whereas, the curriculum for the camp is designed to challenge participants while building their confidence and courage.”
LISA EPPS-CUDA IS SHOWING THE GIRLS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE ON A LIE DETECTOR TEST WHICH IS ALSO PART OF THE TEST.
Black women firefighters may become the rule rather than the exception as the world continues to turn. But right now, finding Black women firefighters across the country is like finding a needle in a haystack. The Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2021 show that nearly 96 percent of all firefighters in the U.S. are men. And of all firefighters, 85 percent are White, 8.4 percent are Black. Figures for the percentages of Black women firefighters in the U.S. were not available.
DAMAYA WILLIAMS USES A SLEDGEHAMMER TO MOVE THE METAL BEAM. THIS IS USED TO TRAIN FOR FORCED ENTRY.
Ironically, Black women who do enjoy a career as a firefighter find their way—no pun intended— “climbing the ladder” to the top of the department. Toni Washington is the current fire chief for the city of Decatur, Georgia. As of 2021, she was one of six Black women to hold the top job in a city’s fire department, according to a New York Daily News article.
Teresa Deloach Reed was the first Black woman to lead a major city’s fire department, Oakland, Calif., in 2012.
AJAYDA JETTER DOING THE “BEND AND STRECH” WHICH IS PART OF THE TEST
In Pittsburgh, Toni McIntosh was the city’s first Black woman firefighter in 1976. Pittsburgh’s Bureau of Fire is currently led by a Black man, Darryl Jones.
“These firefighters are not only empowering these girls, giving them strength, and courage, and belief in themselves,” said Deanna DeSarro, mother of camp attendee Gabriella Minton-DeSarro, “they’re also becoming mentors to them outside of the Bureau for anything going on in their lives and I will forever be grateful.”
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