I recently attended an incredibly inspiring Black History Month Celebration Seminar at the African American Firefighter Museum with the National Association of Professional Women in conjunction with the American Heart Association. The seminar was presented by the Los Angeles Fire Department’s first female African American (and only third female) firefighter, d’Lisa Davies, 61.
A native of Arizona, Miss Davies experienced the numerous racial slurs that were common in her community. Her father raised her to always have a plan and at least two solutions to every problem; she quickly learned how to think ahead and develop creative solutions.
The family valued education and flourished once they made the move to LA; Miss Davies eventually matriculated from Harbor College. The fire trucks, the firemen and the energy they released as they whizzed by fascinated her. I laughed along with the rest of the crowd as she broke out in song and dance to Earth, Wind and Fire’s hit, “Fire!”
Wondering if the LAFD hired women, she took a leap of faith and filled out an application at Inglewood Station in her neighborhood. They told her that they were beginning to hire women and placed her on a waiting list. Months went by, and she heard nothing. Following Plan B, she enlisted in the Army.
After retiring from the military, she struggled to find employment. After eight months of frustration, she watched a fire truck tear down the street, sirens blaring. She then saw an ad recruiting female firefighters for the LAFD. Her discipline, love of sports, and competitive nature helped make her a perfect candidate for the position. This time, she was hired, trained, sworn in and sent out to the station.
The world of firefighters was a man’s world, and Miss Davies was dumped right into the middle of it. One of the men tried to take her on, complaining that she was taking jobs from men. She confronted him without hesitation, gaining the begrudging respect of her co-workers. Her strong work ethic and persistence paid off, and she approached each challenge as her dad had taught her – ask questions, find the solution and look for opportunities to learn.
After 31 years, Miss Davies retired with honors, expressing her gratitude for the opportunity to serve her city in a rewarding career. She now continues to advocate for women and recruits for the LAFD, encouraging women who want to pursue careers as firefighters.
As Miss Davies told her stories, memories flooded over me. At the age of 18, I was the first female hired in the traditionally all-male field of railroading. I worked as a laborer – a coveted position in my native city of Lincoln, Nebraska. I earned good pay with union benefits. My training included trying everything – rolling up huge hoses, pounding stakes and throwing enormous switches. I couldn’t do any of it!
At 90 pounds and still in high school, my peers confronted me about my lack of skills. I didn’t know if I would be able to keep up with my studies while working the night shift, but I stuck with it and worked hard. Finally, I became a janitor, taking pride in my work as I meticulously cleaned the engines and the cabooses.
I could also crawl into tiny spaces, grabbing tools my co-workers had dropped. They all began treating me like their little sister, even reprimanding me for the rough language that I picked up on the job. Once I finished high school, I even stayed with the company until Union Pacific bought them out.
I have found that my life’s experiences have worked together to take me on a journey. I have learned to enjoy the process, applying all that I have learned each step of the way.
Through stories like these I have come to realize just how important it is that we support each other. This is a wonderful organization that inspires women from all over the world. I am truly humbled to be in their group. Please support national heart month, black history month, and women supporting women with me!
Thank you for reading.