Shelly Carter, Hamden’s new fire chief, is not merely the town’s first female representative, but also the first individual from a minority background.
Not long ago, onestudy discovered that fewer than 5% of career firefighters are women. Carter is determined to bring about a transformation.
She began her career at the age of 29 after a chance meeting with a firefighter who encouraged her to apply.
She turned around and looked at me, saying, “Have you ever considered becoming a firefighter?” I responded, “No, I’m the most feminine girl I know, and you probably wouldn’t hire me.” He then said, “No, they’re actually seeking women in Hartford, and I think you should explore this opportunity,” Carter shared.
That introduced an idea into her thoughts. She mentioned that someone in her life told her she would never pass the exam to become a firefighter, which ignited her determination to pursue that career.
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“So I took the exam, went through the interviews, and was hired as a firefighter, specifically as a trainee. And I was thinking, I don’t even have a clue what this job entails. I think it was all part of the plan; I’m a Christian and I believe that God has a plan for our lives,” Carter said.
Although her career hasn’t been simple, Carter mentioned that nothing valuable in life is achieved without effort. Therefore, she kept advancing in her position and moving forward as opportunities presented themselves.
She mentioned that the early stages of her career were more challenging, as she had to demonstrate her value and worked at a fire engine station being the sole woman there.
“Given my personality, you know, establishing limits and ensuring they recognized that I went through the same experience as them. I put in a lot of effort, I felt I earned my place, and then demonstrating on the fireground that I was capable of performing my duties, I gradually wore them down,” Carter said.
Although she is very enthusiastic about everything related to firefighting, she believes there are other young women who could develop the same passion for this profession if someone inspired them in the same way that someone did for her.
That’s why every summer, she organizes a “Girl’s Future Firefighter Camp.”
“I educate them on emergency management and show them the path to becoming fire chiefs. If they decide to enter this career, that’s great. If not, that’s great too. At the very least, they understand that they can achieve anything they desire if they set their mind to it,” she said.
Solen Aref is a versatile journalist for FOX61.com. You can contact her via email at[email protected].
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