42 women participate in Kent firefighter, medic workshop
Published 12:51 pm Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Forty-two women interested in pursuing a career as a firefighter or paramedic recently participated in a workshop hosted by Kent-based Puget Sound Fire.
The Future Women in EMS (emergency medical services) Fire Workshop was April 25-26 at Puget Sound Fire Station 74, 24611 116th Ave. SE.
Those who attended the workshop spent a weekend exploring the world of fire and EMS, participating in CPR training, EMS and fire demonstrations and discussion panels hosted by women from various agencies around the county, according to Puget Sound Fire spokesperson Pat Pawlak.
They also had hands-on training in the use of ladders, climbing ladders, flowing water from charged hose lines, knot tying, forcible entry, personal protective equipment, how to start chainsaws, fitness and workouts and various EMS skills such as backboarding a patient, taking vital signs and wound care, Pawlak said.
In addition, all participants completed an obstacle course, some of the activities included raising a ladder, carrying a simulated 50-pound hose bundle up to the third floor of the drill tower, exiting the drill tower and performing 10 swings of a sledgehammer, completing an equipment carry and finishing with a dummy drag.
“It’s important that we educate, clarify, and remove any barriers that stand between the women in our great communities and career paths in the fields of fire and EMS,” according to a Puget Sound Fire press release.
Firefighters from 17 King County fire departments came together to be mentors for the women during the workshop.
Workshops are held biannually at designated locations throughout King County. Over 300 women from the region have participated in past workshops, some of whom are now working full time in the career.
