Lois Keenan, Firefighter from River Falls Fire Department, Marietta, SC, received the coveted Firefighter of the Year award from her Fire Chief, David Emory, at their Christmas Firefighter Dinner this past Saturday evening. She is only the second woman in the 26-year history of the fire department to receive this prestigious award.
She recounts the moment that led up to the award. “I was not sure it was me. When they called my name, I was beside myself. I had tears in my eyes, and I could not stop grinning. I danced up to David Emory and thanked him, “So many other firefighters deserve this award more than me. I felt honored and proud that I was chosen to have received this award.”
As Ms. Keenan describes her 2- year incredible experience as a firefighter, it makes sense why she received this award.
Ms. Keenan spent several years as an EMT, but she always had the passionate desire to be a firefighter. When her current Fire Chief, David Emory’s house caught on fire in October 2010, she knew that she had to fulfill her dream to serve in this capacity. “I took water back and forth to the fire. I knew I wanted to do more than carry water, “she states.
Ms. Keenan remembers two calls that she assisted that made her smile and changed her life.
She and other members of River Falls Fire Department assisted a medical call from a young woman involved in a car wreck off Highway 25. The young woman, scared and injured, trapped and pinned inside her smashed up car, looked up to see a courageous firefighter, Ms. Keenan, crawling in the back side window to retrieve this badly injured lady. She lived in Tennessee and did not have any family in the area. I kept thinking what if that had been my son,” she recounted.
Another call occurred a few weeks ago. A family with five children had called Greenville County 911 Dispatch one bitter cold evening, and half of the River Falls Fire Department rushed out of their warm beds to a blustery and windy fall evening and proudly responded to the needs of another desperate family in the River Falls Fire District needing fire assistance from their brave firefighters.
The nature of the call- it was a chimney fire. Wires had melted at the fireplace and the parents of the five children noticed the smoke before going to bed.
Ms. Keenan was on the scene of that horrific night, holding the trembling hand of a frightened teenage daughter and fervently praying with her during this tragic time.
Why does she serve as a Fire Fighter? “I like making a difference and helping people. I love my community…these are MY PEOPLE, “she states.
What do women firefighters bring to each fire call?
Ms. Keenan strongly believes that “hurt people bring out the mother in me. I am sure it brings out the mom in the other female fighters.” She asserts that women have a strong “nurturing love and compassion for others. I want to treat them as if they were my son or daughter. This could be my child so I want to calm them down and assure them that they will be ok.”
It is no wonder why Chief Embry chose Ms. Keenan for the award this year. She exemplifies to all women that WE MATTER and that no matter what job we are in, that we can use our female nurturing gifts to show love, compassion, and an outstretched arm to the hurting every moment of the day.
May we as women think of Ms. Keenan and not give up on our own dreams to be whatever we want to be.
Congratulations, Ms. Keenan, Firefighter of the Year for River Falls Fire Department 2012!
