When Sara Errinton joined the Syracuse Fire Department, she was shown a list of fire stations where she couldn't work. She was a woman, and those stations didn't have coed facilities.
Soon after, when she asked to be part of the hazardous materials team, she was again told no. A woman of child-bearing age shouldn't be around hazardous materials, officials told her. She should seek out another assignment.
That was 2004.
Fast-forward 14 years. Errington has ascended through the ranks of the nearly all-male department and, earlier this year, was made a district chief. She's the first woman to ever hold that rank with the SFD.
From her cramped office at Station 9 near Eastwood, Errington laughed lightly while reflecting on her career to this point. It took "a little pushing" to find or make opportunities in the department.