Alana Parno gets set to share a firefighter’s secret.
“Fire science has come a long way. It used to be that we’d bash in the door, rescue the people over our shoulders and bring them out,” the slender 28-year-old jokes. “The equipment used was heavy. Nowadays, it’s much lighter and there are a lot of different skills needed on the team other than strength.”
When Parno attended the Squamish Fire Rescue tryouts in 2013, she admits she was nervous. The avid outdoor enthusiast and climber knew she was fit, but feared that she didn’t have enough brute force for the job. Encouraged by the other firefighters, Parno quickly began to realize the firefighter stereotype didn’t hold up. “I am very much a rational and objective thinker, which is well suited for many of the tasks,” she says, adding because of her size, she’s able to get into crawl spaces and tight areas that other firefighters can’t. “It is that dynamic group that works best.”
Parno is one of three female firefighters in the Squamish fire halls. She comes from a family with a history battling the flames.
“My dad, my brother, five cousins,” she says, counting out the number of firefighters within her family on her fingers. “I am probably missing somebody.”
Joining the fire department has been a great way to get out into the community, Parno says, noting the first responders are a fun crew and provide a lot of support for one another. “For me it is such a positive experience,” she says. “If you have these skills, why not use them?”
Firefighters are constantly battling stereotypes, Squamish firefighter Kyle Derksen says. As the lead in the training division, Derksen says the department is always on the hunt for volunteers with varying backgrounds – electricians, plumbers, and people with office and communication skills.
Derksen has suited up as a firefighter for the past 11 years. While he’s seen an increase in the number of female firefighters, he says the head count is lower than it should be. He encourages anyone interested in volunteering to come out to one the department’s recruitments. Squamish Fire Rescue aims to sign up approximately 10 new members per year.
In September, the hall held two information meetings. Recruitment usually takes place in January. “It’s a pretty great team,” Derksen says of the department. To learn more, visit www.squamish.ca and search “Squamish Fire Rescue.”
