The Midlothian Fire Department was first in 1906. It then took 110 years for the department to hire its first female firefighter.
Then a couple of months later, the department hired a second. And, now, that number stands at three.
With this week being the public observance of Fire Prevention Week, it’s important to remember the civil servants who are among the first to respond to a call.
Meet Midlothian firefighters Katie Bean, Samantha McCulloch and Teresa Smith — the women behind the helmet and Midlothian Fire insignia. When Katie Bean was in high school, she often daydreamed about what life would be like as a firefighter. She said she always knew being a firefighter was something she wanted to do; though she rarely thought of the risks and the dangers that came with the profession.