VIDEO: For the first time, a woman is leading the Golden Valley Fire Department.
Chief Bethany Brunsell was sworn in and her promotion is quite rare. Across the country, women make up only 9% of all firefighters — and even fewer become chiefs.
"I taught kids how to play the violin and recorder and never imagined that years later I would be a firefighter, much less the fire chief," said Chief Brunsell.
The 47-year-old was a middle school music teacher before making what she calls a second career change, despite never seeing a female firefighter when she was growing up. It helped that she got started in her hometown that had been asking for more on-call firefighters nearly 15 years ago.
"I really didn't think I'd get hired as a firefighter, I didn't think I fit the mold of what my own stereotype of what a firefighter was," said Chief Brunsell.