WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — A couple of firefighters at the Warner Robins Fire Department are moving up in rank and breaking barriers as females in fire service.
"It's a family. It's a brotherhood. It's a sisterhood." That's how new Lieutenant Aundrea Day describes the Warner Robins Fire Department.
"Challenging, but I think the most important thing is to work with people, be responsible for those people and as a whole, try to make my crew as successful as we can be," Day said.
Fire Chief Ross Moulton says Day is the first female firefighter Lieutenant in Warner Robins. She joined the department eight years ago.
"I'm really very honored. I am glad that the work that I put in and the work that the department provided me with and all the support, I am glad it paid off, and I am just here to do a good job. I just think I was grown up to just challenge yourself, push yourself, and just be your best," Day said.
On November 21, the city also promoted firefighter Kadie Peterman to fire driver engineer. Now, she's in charge of fire truck maintenance.
"This very much was an intentional goal. If anything, I thought it would take a little bit longer to get here, but I had a really supportive crew," Peterman said.
Peterman joined the Department in 2019.
"When I first came on Lieutenant Day was kind of an inspiration to an extent. I'm sorry," Peterman said, laughing. "She had a lot that people expected of her and I know that probably put a lot of pressure on her, but if anything, it gave me a lot of confidence, if anything, that I could do this in this department, and I am hoping that it is going to make it easier for other women to do this type of stuff in this department."
According to the National Fire Protection Association in 2021, despite the push for more diversity, fewer then 5% of career firefighters across the country were women.
"I have a daughter and I try to instill the very same to her, 'Try and go out and do the things you think you can't, because you can,' so for anyone wanting to get into fire service, push yourself, research it," Day said.
You never know how far you will go.
Right now, Warner Robins has only three certified female firefighters out of 119. They have a fourth female firefighter joining the team next week.
"I'm really honored, but again, I really want to point out my family and my friends who supported me; and I know you know you want to focus on the females first, but there are all these guys in the background that helped me get there and I am really appreciative to them. In any kind of environment you are a minority of you want to be a good example. At the same time you want to look at those who came before you both male and female and you just wanna grow and push yourself and be a shining example to those who can come behind you and you just wanna represent those who helped you along the way," Day said.
On November 21, the city also promoted Daniel Stevens from firefighter to fire driver engineer and Anthony Allred from fire driver engineer to lieutenant.