Caitlin Crandall’s morning routine looked much different a couple of years ago.
The 35-year-old went from working 9-5 at a desk to 24 hours for the Syracuse Fire Department at Station 5, preparing to save lives.
“Life was just so blah and just so mundane,” said Crandall. “Something just clicked for me. This is what I need to do to feel fulfilled in life. I need to be doing more.”
Crandall didn’t know anything about firefighting, but she knew there was a sense of pride, camaraderie and commitment that she wanted to be a part of. She became 1 of the 13 women within the 338-person department.
“I am proud to be a female firefighter,” said Crandall. “However, being a female does not take precedence over the synergy that my guys and I have together. We all have the same job. There’s a job that needs to be done.”
Chief Michael Monds says women make up about 4 percent of the department, meeting the national average.