Today we’d like to introduce you to Gemma Smith.
Gemma, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I volunteer! Always wanted to be a firefighter but was under the impression girls did not do this. Thank God those days are over. There is a Klein Fire Station at the front of our neighborhood and I stopped by one night and that was it. I filled out the application and passed the physical. I attended recruit classes and live fire to train and graduated a few months later. I was officially a firefighter, I made it!
Giving back to the community and helping others in their time of need, this feeling, words can not express. I have left family members at the dinner table and outings when those alarms drop, it is being there for another person’s time of crisis. This is their emergency and time is not a factor. 8:15 pm apartment fire, 3 am an automatic fire alarm, 4:45 am, a motor vehicle accident, we go. This is what we do, this is who we are, we are volunteers!
Since I joined in 2011, I have held the position at station level of Lieutenant, Captain and Senior Captain. Served on the board of directors as 2nd VP and currently, the position of 3rd VP. Voted by my peers as rookie of the year at my station and Firefighter of the year three times. I hold the most training hours at my station, I can not get enough. I have only one regret and that is not joining sooner, perhaps, made it a career if I followed my heart when I was younger.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth road, of course. Put your mind to it and can do anything. Sounds good, right? The hardest part was being 40 at the time and keeping up with the early twenty-year-olds. Many times after recruit class, I had to fight the Charlie horse in both feet or legs at same time. Looked like something out of a horror movie with all my toes curling up at the same time.
Biggest struggle now is the after the call decompression. Not all calls end well, they don’t always go the way we would hope. It can be very emotional when you know the house is a total loss. The sound of the cry when the family member shows up and told their loved one is gone.
My advice to other women, go for it. Do not limit yourself!
What should we know about Klein Volunteer Fire Department? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am proud to know I make a difference. I stepped up and put myself out there for my community. This is a volunteer department, we need more people who have the same passions. I am a operations manager with my day job, this to me helps to be a leader and can think outside the box.
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
Birds of a feather, good people run together. Ever notice at any party, group event how the room divides? You will find your mentor. Some people just draw other in.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: ocd_chi
Image Credit:
Tana Corley
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
