SARINYA SRISAKUL
Sarinya Srisakul not only fights fires, but shatters boundaries as the FDNY´s first Asian female firefighter. “A friend of mine took me to an orientation that the FDNY had to recruit new firefighters and I was hooked,” she remembers. “When I watched the videos of firefighters rushing into fires and emergencies, it felt like a true calling.” Still, Srisakul has had to face challenges, including her own family “discouraging me and thinking that I would fail just because I am a woman.” Training from United Women Firefighters helped her make the transition, and now she´s giving back by serving as their president. Because of their work, the FDNY has the most women firefighters ever, though that number is still too low. “It is sad that in this day and age, it´s rare to see women firefighters in New York City, and through our efforts, we are changing the dynamics, not only in the FDNY, but also in the social fabric of our city. It is a great feeling to boost a little girl up into the fire engine and be a role model who teaches her that not only can she be a firefighter, but she can be whoever she wants to be. It is not every woman who seeks to enter such a heavily male-dominated field, but I know a lot of queer women are up for the challenge!” -GH
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