Women of the Seattle Fire Department

Women fire fighters-Washington (State)- Seattle-Recruiting Poster-1978

What’s it like being a pioneer?  Just ask Bonnie Beers.

Here’s your opportunity.  Beers, the first woman hired as a fire fighter for the Seattle Fire Department will be speaking on March 24th at 2:00 p.m. in the Bertha Knight Landes Room of City Hall.

The Seattle Municipal Archives has created a terrific online exhibit, “Strength & Stamina: Women in the Seattle Fire Department.” 

Lest you believe times must have surely changed a great deal since Beers joined the SFD,  this report from Cornell University, will enlighted you. While Seattle does have a higher than average percentage of women fire fighters (9%) on the job, the national average is still just 2.5%. ~ Carol L