'Well I'm going to be the first:' Galesburg swears in first female firefighter

GALESBURG — The city gained its first female firefighter after Haley Stevenson, 22, was sworn in to the Galesburg Fire Department on Monday, May 2.

Fire Chief Randy Hovind described the “overdue” achievement as something the city and fire department have been pursuing to diversify the city workforce since before he became a firefighter 23 years ago.

“You want to treat it like it's just somebody else coming on but at the same point in time, you have to recognize this is a new era, it's a change,” Hovind said. “I wish this would've happened a long time ago but I'm hoping she opens the door for more females to enter the fire service, specifically here.”

Serving Galesburg: Retired Galesburg firefighters help spruce up hydrants

Once Stevenson returns from a 10-week training course at the University of Illinois Firefighter Academy in Champaign, she will be assigned to Galesburg's Central station to perform both firefighter and EMT duties.

“Thank you to everybody who has supported and encouraged me throughout the past two-three years, whenever I first initially said I wanted to do this,” Stevenson said to the crowded City Council Chambers. “I am excited to learn and work hard and get through that academy in the summer really quick."

Hovind described Stevenson as somebody who “grew up in the fire service.” Her father, Brad Stevenson, retired from his role as Galesburg’s deputy fire chief last year. A family friend, Hovind was present at Haley’s birth.

"When I was in junior high I remember a conversation with my dad, and I asked him if there were any females yet and he said 'No,'" Stevenson recalled. "Right then in my head, I was like, 'Well I'm going to be the first.'"

Haley said that she wasn’t vocal about wanting to become a firefighter until attending Carl Sandburg College. She said her father was reserved in how he felt about her goal, but supportive as he helped her with strength training and weekly powerlifting.

The Galesburg Fire Department hires new employees every two years. The application requires an “agility test” which involves a ladder climb, timed obstacle course and timed 1.5 mile run. There is also a written test and interview.

Hovind said 51 people applied to become a Galesburg firefighter in 2020, including one other female applicant. Sixty-four people applied in 2018 including five female applicants, and 160 people applied in 2016 including 12 female applicants.

Community Center: City acquires Churchill building, stalls on proceeding with master plan

In October 2020, Stevenson was the first female applicant in Galesburg to pass the physical portion of the test.

“I think the hardest thing for a woman in the fire service is the physical side of it,” Brad Stevenson said. “I think her athletic personality kind of made that a real challenge for her, one that she took on. She trained hard and I did have a little bit of an influence on that. I helped train her to be physically ready to take the test and the rest is on her now.”

Stevenson said that she is surprised she is the first female firefighter in Galesburg, and given that it is 2022, she feels like she shouldn’t be. She has received Facebook messages from other female firefighters who gave their advice not to let people see her cry or let people walk over her.

But Stevenson said she doesn’t feel like she’s going to have any issues with the department and the only major adversity she encountered in joining the service was the physical side.

Her advice to other women who would like to become firefighters is to not give up.

“If you want something bad enough, you will find the means of doing it, whether you believe you can or not,” Stevenson said. “Just keep trying, don't get discouraged. I encourage everybody to go test, test everywhere because in the worst case scenario you're getting experience.”

Hovind said hiring the first female firefighter poses some challenges to the department’s facilities, as Central station was not built with gendered living quarters. Renovations there could cost half a million dollars, Hovind said. So for the time being, Stevenson will use the female locker-room in the basement of the police station.

Regardless, Hovind said Stevenson will be just another employee, albeit one the department is excited about.

“Haley wasted no time in what she wanted to be. Her goal was to be a firefighter,” Hovind said. “Today she has met that goal. Today's your day, Haley. Soak it up, enjoy it and let's get to work.”

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Galesburg IL swears in first female firefighter in history of city