9/11/08

Pregnancy just one more challenge for these Marysville firefighters

by Beckye Randall

Fighting fires is heavy, dangerous work. When responding to an emergency, firefighters must be prepared to deal with hazardous conditions that require physical strength, stamina and quick thinking.

Maybe those physical demands help explain the relatively few female firefighters across the country. Nationwide, only about 6,300 career firefighters are women. In Washington State, according to statistics from the International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services, 204 women serve as active firefighters or medics in thirty departments.

Two of those women proudly serve the Marysville Fire District. Krista Longspaugh is a career firefighter and Kate Songhurst is a firefighter/medic. The two women have formed a tight bond over the years, a sort of sisterhood that has become even stronger as they experience their first pregnancies together.

Longspaugh, 38, is expecting her first child November 20, while Songhurst, 26, is looking forward to a September 25 delivery date. Both are expecting girls.

The women have been assigned to light duty in the Fire Mashal’s office since their pregnancies were confirmed, conducting business inspections and assisting with administrative tasks. They both agree that one of the biggest challenges during pregnancy has been to maintain their fitness levels to enable an eventual return to regular duties.

“We used to do half-marathons, running 10 or more miles together,” said Longspaugh. “Now Kate and I walk those 10 miles.”

The women also swim daily and continue strength-building exercises with their doctors’ approval.

“It’s so important that we come back to the department ready to go,” said Songhurst. “We all depend on one another and we have to be able to pull our share of the load.”

Firefighters in Marysville’s District 21 work 24-hour shifts when they’re on duty. The stations all feature a full kitchen, dining and lounging areas, sleeping facilities and showers. Some of Marysville’s fire stations have separate facilities for men and women, and some don’t.

Having women in the firehouse has meant some adjustments for their male counterparts but, with very few exceptions, the transition has been smooth.

“When I first started, I butted heads with one of the guys,” said Longspaugh, who was hired as a full-time firefighter in 1999. “He had nothing against me personally; he just thought women should not be in the fire service. He worried that I would be less able to do the work, which could create safety hazards for the rest of the crew. But now we’re good friends. He trusts me and knows I can perform under stress.”

The requirements for employment by the fire department are identical for men and women. Strength and endurance tests are not compromised for females, and prior experience is a plus.

Krista Longspaugh started her firefighting career more than a decade ago by taking a first responder class at EvCC.

“The instructor was negative about my plans to become a firefighter,” she recalled. “He told me ‘you can’t do that,’ which just made me work even harder.”

Longspaugh was accepted as a part-paid (volunteer) firefighter in 1997, and two years later earned a full-time spot on the service.

“It was easier to get on with this department when I started,” said Longspaugh, “but as the city has grown, so have the requirements and expectations. Now it’s common to start a career with a smaller department and firefighters often have to move away from their hometowns, at least in the beginning.”

Kate Songhurst, a graduate of Stanwood High School, had to relocate to Walla Walla for her first fire department job. “It’s a little easier to get experience in a small department,” she said, “and it’s a great learning environment.”

After a few years east of the mountains, Songhurst was hired by the Mt. Vernon department and, in 2006, joined the Marysville team.

The young woman is the first in her family to become a firefighter. A physically active, athletic person, she was looking for a career that would offer physical challenges as well as opportunities for critical thinking. During her freshman year at Central Washington University, Songhurst did a ride-along in an EMT rig and she was hooked.

“The firehouse is like a big family,” said Songhurst. “The men here are like our brothers. We know their wives, we all share family stories. We even know their favorite foods,” she added with a smile.

The women share many commonalities, including the fact that both their husbands are named Chris. Accustomed to their wives’ 24-hour work schedules, the fathers-to-be are ready to care for the new babies when the women return to work.

Longspaugh and Songhurst will be reassigned once they are ready to return to duty. As a highly-trained medic, Songhurst will probably serve at Station 1 or Station 63, while Longspaugh will be assigned to an engine company.

The Marysville Fire District handles over 10,000 calls each year, serving Marysville, Arlington, Tulalip, Quil Ceda Village and the Seven Lakes region.

The department has recently added a third woman to its ranks of full-time firefighters. Susan Stevens was formerly employed by the Lynnwood fire department and has successfully completed a rigorous 15-week course at the Washington State Fire Training Academy in North Bend.

Longspaugh and Songhurst are looking forward to their babies’ births, and are planning to take as much time off as possible. But coming back to the Marysville Fire Department in top operating condition is high on their list of priorities.

“Our biggest fear is to need a C-section for delivery,” said Longspaugh. “That would mean a longer recovery time and a possible loss of strength. Definitely not what we want.”

Both the women firefighters are also looking forward to the spring Firefighters Stair Climb at Columbia Tower in Seattle, typically held the first Sunday in March. Longspaugh has participated in the climb seven times, but this will be the first year for Songhurst.

In addition to the fifty pounds of gear they’ll wear for the climb up 69 flights, the women are hoping to strap on carriers and transport their babies to the top as well.

“We’ll have to get approval, for safety reasons, but we just think it would be a great addition to our fundraising activities,” said Longspaugh.

Caption: Marysville firefighters (from left) Jacob Kuehn, Kate Songhurst, Dan Schwartz, Krista Longspaugh and Jason Schoonover take a break from a morning drill at the main station on Grove Street. Songhurst and Longspaugh, both in the final trimesters of their pregnancies, are currently on light duty in the Fire Marshal’s office.

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