When Fire Fighter Pam Foltz stepped into the Glen Echo fire
station almost 32 years ago, she did not think of herself as a trail
blazer. However, when she set foot in
the station, she became the first career female fire fighter hired in
Montgomery County. As a matter of fact
she was one of only 25 career female fire fighters nationwide!
Now, nearly 32 years later, Pam will be working her last
shift on September 29 at Silver Spring Fire Station #1 far exceeding a promise
she made to several fire department leaders, who gave her the opportunity, that
she would work at least 25 years – which was the number of years required for
full retirement.
Pam was inspired to join the fire service by several
neighbors in her Fairfax County neighborhood who were volunteer fire
fighters. Back in the late 60’s and
early 70’s many volunteer members would respond to calls for help directly from
their home. After watching this for many
years, and interacting with the neighbors, Pam knew that “she just wanted to do
this.”
After graduating from Falls Church High School, Pam went
away to college and the hope was she would become a school teacher. However the tug to become a fire fighter was
too great and after returning home her first year she announced to her parents
that she was quitting school to become a career fire fighter. Reaction in the Foltz household was mixed as
her Mom told her to “go get your dream” while Dad was just a little bit upset.
Pam then proceeded to apply to several area fire departments
including DC, Arlington, Fairfax, and Montgomery County. It was Montgomery County who called first and
after successfully passing the physical agility test, she was eventually
offered a position by Glen Echo. Note:
back then, each volunteer corporation hired their own career fire fighters to
augment volunteer members who worked their regular jobs during the day. It was then off to the Public Safety Training
Academy (PSTA) where she trained with 14 other recruits from around the County.
At the PSTA Pam encountered a few obstacles. Pam stated, “Unlike now, there were no female
facilities at the PSTA to include bathrooms or locker rooms. I could not shower and clean up after
training fires like my male peers. There
was no place to store my clothes. I went
home each and every day very dirty and smelly and had to carry everything with
me.”
It was there where she also learned that perhaps some of the
male fire fighters were not too happy to have her around. As Pam relays, “The instructors did not want
me there. Several members of a recruit
class that had started a few weeks earlier let me know that the instructors
were talking about trying to stoke the training fires to a point where it would
maybe burn me just enough and thus, hopefully, would cause me to quit. What they did not realize is that it actually
made me even more determined to complete the training and stay on.”
Some of the challenges Pam faced when getting to the fire
station included having to wear uniforms tailored for men and having to adhere
to male grooming standards. The
leadership at Glen Echo came to her and gave her two options for sleeping
arrangements when she was working the night shift – sleep in the same dorm room
as the men or they would convert a small administrative office into her own
personal dorm room. In response, Pam
stated that “she wanted to be treated just like everyone else,” and opted to
sleep in one of the beds in the dorm room.
The challenges were not confined to the fire station and
even Pam alone. Pam was not the only
unique, at the time, fire fighter assigned to the Glen Echo station. Also there was the first African American
fire fighter and the two become fast friends – a friendship that lasts to this
day. Pam recalled, “We would sometimes
be on the ambulance together and the residents had really never seen a female
or African American fire fighter. There
were actually times we would go knock on the door of the house that had
requested help and the residents would refuse to let us in.”
As time went on, more female fire fighters joined the
departments throughout the county and then the county as a whole in 1988 as all
career fire fighters fell under one county department. Asked what has changed over 32 years for
women Pam mentioned, “Montgomery County was actually very progressive for the time. Female tailored clothing was provided, the
PSTA built a female locker room, female grooming standards were developed, and
overall guidelines and standards were developed related to female fire
fighters. Many fire departments from
across the country that had just begun to hire women fire fighters actually
sought out Montgomery County for advice and guidelines.”
When asked about mentors considering she was a rare breed
when she first started, Pam identified several male fire fighters who really
believed in her and helped her tremendously.
Now retired members Lt. Dicky Arnold, Lt. Dan Irvine (whose son is a
current MCFRS member), and Fire Fighter Mike Simmons were a few to come to
mind. Pam also credits then Glen Echo
Chief Tappen with getting her to network with other female fire fighters from
across the country by paying her way to attend a then relatively new
organization called Women in the Fire Service.
So what got her through the rough times and led her to such
a long and rewarding career? Pam states
that, “One big key was to pick and choose my battles. I was mainly able to let a lot of stuff just
roll off my back and I moved on. Did not
complain or whine. That was huge! Adaptability was another big one. The combination of both really helped me with
my male peers which led to a very tight-knit and supportive family like group.”
And one big one was the earlier mentioned promise she made
to several then fire service leaders all of whom are now deceased. “I would like to think they would be very,
very proud of me today,” said Pam.
One highlight of Pam’s career came in the late ‘90’s when
one day, at Silver Spring Station #1, there were 5 female fire fighters on duty
at once! The topper was the ladder truck
that particular day had an all female crew which Pam suspects was the first
time something like that had every occurred.
When asked what she would miss most Pam stated without
hesitation, “The people I work with! I
will also miss going on emergency calls and the fact that every new shift was something
different. No two days were ever alike.”
As for future plans, Pam indicated that “I am going to take
some time to get to know myself a little bit better. Take time off for me and perhaps do some
travelling. My parents are also elderly
and have medical issues so I plan to spend some time with them as well.”
Congratulations Pam on a trail blazing career! You are a pioneer and one many women in the
fire service today here in Montgomery County, as well as across the country,
owe a bit of gratitude too.
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