LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the impact women are making in every industry – including those traditionally dominated by men.
In North Las Vegas, a group of women at the fire department are proving that strength isn’t just about muscle.
Nathalie Cotton didn’t always know she’d be a firefighter, but when she moved to Las Vegas, she saw an opportunity she couldn’t ignore.
“I sat in that seat, and I told myself ‘I think I’ve been here before’, and it was just a really interesting, overwhelming sense of ‘I think this is exactly where I belong’,” Cotton said.
Lauren Gadeski knew early on that she wanted to be a first responder.
“My junior year of high school, I joined the Fire Explorer Las Vegas, and the relationships I created there really solidified the fact that I wanted to be a firefighter,” Gadeski said.
Firefighter Sadie Perkins thought about going into nursing – that’s until she stepped into a firehouse.
“I absolutely loved it, fell in love with it, enjoyed everything about it,” said Perkins.
Training to be a firefighter for these women is grueling – early mornings, heavy gear, and nonstop drills.
“Also cause you to be physically exhausted, so it’s not just like we do our PT in the morning and then we’re done. It’s an all-day thing and being in your gear, throwing ladders all day, it’s hard,” Perkins said.
“I dare say it’s the hardest, most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life. It took everything that I had in me and more that I didn’t even know I had,” said Cotton.
Breaking into a male-dominated field comes with its own challenges but these women prove firefighting isn’t just about strength but resilience.
“Being a woman in this field, it’s awesome, definitely has its challenges,” said Perkins. “This department is full of great people who have been super supportive, super motivating, and never really discouraged me or looked down on me because I am a woman.”
“I think that you should just go for it and remove the negative people out of your life that are telling you, ‘You can’t do it’ because it’s possible,” Gadeski said.
The North Las Vegas Fire Department says they hope more women will be inspired to step into this field and see that there is a place for them here.
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