WOMAN FIREFIGHTER BALANCES HVFD LIFE
By Katherine Marks
HV staff
At first glance Jen Franklin looks like the type of woman you would want
to protect. She's a petite lady with strawberry-blond hair framing a small
freckled face. But in reality she might save your life.
Jen Franklin is a volunteer firefighter at the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire
Department and is one of a growing number of people who are finding ways
to give back to their communities.
About two years ago Franklin realized that her life wasn't going in the
direction she wanted, so she quit her job and walked into the fire station.
That one day changed her life.
"I always wanted to be a firefighter, and I never had the time, so
I made the time," said Franklin.
Franklin has a degree in forensics and eventually wants to work as a fire
investigator. But for now she loves volunteering at the station.
"The chance to help the community and maybe save a life is really exciting,"
Franklin said.
To become a firefighter Franklin became certified in Cardiopulmonary Resusitation
and infection control. "These are just the first steps," Franklin
said. She is also an Emergency Medical Technician and has passed firefighter
levels one and two. This means that she can enter into a building and actually
fight a fire instead of just laying the groundwork. Franklin also does building
inspections.
The station pays for all volunteer firefighters to take the classes to get
trained.
Franklin balances taking courses at George Washington University and working
at the fire station.
"It's not easy to balance it all," said Franklin. Many times she
spends the night at the fire station because otherwise her other option
is an hour commute to Frederick every day.
After putting in about 400 hours at the station, Franklin has heard career
firefighters talk about the one big fire that changed their lives. She has
not responded to that type of fire, but knows it will happen sometime in
her career.
While it is mostly men who work at the station, there are about six volunteers
who are women. "It's not an issue though,"said Franklin. "There's
a real sense of camaraderie."
Franklin has had some interesting experiences on the job. One time, a little
girl slammed her finger in the door, and the tip of her finger fell off.
Franklin and the mother found the finger and took the girl to the hospital
to have it sewn back on.
The station was also the first to respond to the recent AMTRAK derailment.
"It wasn't an issue of being a hero. We just tried to get the people
out that could be saved and stop the fire. As horrible as it is, after a
while you just get used to it," said Franklin.
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Updated 4/15/96