MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Being a firefighter can be one of the most physically demanding jobs in the civilian world, and in the Air Force. Airman 1st Class Alisa Baker-Burdo, 5th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, doesn’t let the fact that she is one of the few female firefighters in the Air Force, and the only one at Minot Air Force Base, stop her from doing her job.
“It absolutely motivates me being the only female in my shop,” Baker-Burdo said. “Only around five percent of firefighters are female. It’s a growing trend, but it definitely motivates me because, as much as I hate to admit it, there are physical limitations that I can’t reach that some of the guys can—but when it comes to the knowledge side they can only beat me if I let them.”
Although there may be some physical limitations, she says that’s not the hardest part of being the only female firefighter in her shop.
“I wouldn’t say the physical part is really an obstacle, because as an Airman and a firefighter, we’re supposed to be fit to fight anyway to complete the mission,” Baker-Burdo said. “Just fitting in is tough, it’s a tough situation to come into where the last female they’ve had work with them was in their chain of command, and I’m like one of them on the Airman level.”
Baker-Burdo isn’t necessarily a trend setter when it comes to her family being not only firefighters, but female firefighters.
“My grandfather was the fire chief for his volunteer fire department until he passed; he helped start an international fire training school that I’m actually a board member for,” Baker-Burdo said. “Almost all of my family members on my mom’s side have, at one point in their life, been involved with a fire department somehow.”
Specifically, she draws inspiration from one late aunt who beat the odds and blazed her own trail as well.
“My Aunt, who’s since passed, she was one of the people who got polio from the vaccine so one of her hands was completely useless, but she went to Alaska and was the first female at a volunteer fire department there,” Baker-Burdo said. “Then she came back home to Vermont and she was the first female volunteer at that department too. She still rappelled and everything else the other members did with basically one hand. I’ve had some good inspiration.”
Although she may be unknowingly setting a trend for more females to join the career field, Baker-Burdo says that isn’t the best part about her job.
“I think my favorite part is being able to hopefully help someone. Maybe I’ll be able to impact someone’s life,” Baker-Burdo said. “I feel like that’s a really important thing to do.”