Zulema Chavez was the only female recruit to graduate from the El Camino Fire Academy this spring, a motivating factor for the future firefighter.
“I honestly loved it,” said Zulema, one of 31 recruits in Fire Academy Class 148. “When people see a female in a program like this with a bunch of guys, I guess they can’t help but judge. But I think it pushes me to do better, maybe even try harder than any of the guys. It’s a good thing.”
The graduation celebration also featured a demonstration of the recruits’ skills in controlling a structure fire and a vehicle fire. For more than 50 years, the Fire Academy has trained approximately 800 graduates who are employed in fire departments across Southern California and the United States.