Station commander, Fallings Park Fire Station, West Midlands Fire Service
I’ve been part of the fire service since 1990. I applied when I saw an advert in a local newspaper picturing a female firefighter holding a child that had been rescued from a fire. I’d never considered being a firefighter as a career before that.
It’s not been an easy journey. Black female firefighters are few and far between. But being part of a junior firefighter scheme really helped – I was able to join at 16 and train for two years before applying to the wholetime service. West Midlands fire service has made me the person I am today.
I stand tall in my community as a black woman. People look up to me, and that’s set high expectations. This can sometimes be challenging, but I think that’s necessary.