The Swan Valley Fire Department (SVFD) has a recruit who has recently joined their ranks and broke the traditional stereotype associated with it being a male profession. Kristin Linnick is currently the only female firefighter in the SVFD but hasn’t been the first female to join.
“The department has had female firefighters from 2011 until 2022,” said SVFD Fire Chief Darren Fedorchuk. “The last female firefighter in the department relocated in 2022, and is now in the Selkirk Fire Department.”
When she was a child, Linnick was drawn to the world of emergency services and firefighting by watching her father help out with the local fire department.
“My dad had joined the local fire department in the small town that I grew up in when I was about six years old,” said Linnick. “I grew up watching him as a role model and knowing that someday I wanted to become a firefighter just like him.
“Back then, if we were home alone with him when a call came in, we used to respond with him, sometimes still barefoot in our pyjamas. Because when that pager went off, he just had to drop what he was doing and go. A member would stay behind to dispatch at the hall so there were usually several kids in the meeting room waiting while their dads went out to help someone in need.
“I only just joined the Swan River department in the last couple of weeks and haven’t trained at all with their department as of yet,” said Linnick. “I did, however, join the Pine River department about two and a half years ago and have attended training nights with them. I recently completed my class 4A drivers, so I’m able to drive a fire truck.”
Linnick has found the call to serve a very rewarding one and is learning to balance her work and home life, with being an emergency responder.
“You never really know what you are going to encounter when a call comes in, or even when the call might come in,” said Linnick. “So far I find the most challenging to be preparing for what you are about to encounter along with juggling the need to respond with the other family and work-related commitments that I have.
“It’s great to be able to give back to the community. I have three young children and being able to show them how to give back and help others is important to me. I hope as they grow they’ll be able to be proud that their parents are firefighters and can help people in need, just like I had felt looking up to my dad.”
Linnick encourages other women who are interested in joining the local fire department to come out and take a chance on it. They just might find this a very fulfilling and rewarding way to serve the community.
“Everyone has been very welcoming and they’ve all made me feel very included in joining their family,” said Linnick. “I am proud to be able to encourage other young girls that they could be a firefighter one day too, or anything else they dream of being.
“I would tell other women who are interested in joining, that it’s a very rewarding job and that if they put their mind to it, it’s possible for them to do too. I also coach gymnastics in town, so I haven’t a chance to sometimes hear about their dreams for the future. They are all generally surprised to learn that I am a firefighter, so I hope that helps encourage them to believe that they can work towards their dreams even if they don’t look like who you would typically expect to fill a certain job.”
“As with all firefighters, there is a different perspective,” said Fedorchuk. “Every incident is different and at times it requires firefighters with a different view to reach a successful conclusion, but not only in responses, having a different view is important when it comes to other facets in the fire service like training and equipment purchasing.
“The female firefighters we have had in the department in the past, all have excelled as firefighters and were an integral part of the team. Their dedication to providing service to the Valley was not surpassed. Female firefighters are indispensable for the department to flourish and must be able to meet any future demands that may be required of us. SVFD is open to all who are interested and meet the pre-requirements.”
When it comes to women interested in joining the fire department, they go through the same procedures and requirements that any member joining the department would.
“Our process is the same for any firefighter,” said Fedorchuk. “It starts with an application to join which includes submitting a criminal record, Manitoba Child Abuse checks along with a driver abstract. Once the interview process is complete and if an applicant is successful the applicant begins service.
“In the cases where applications are received but staffing does not allow for hiring at that time the applications are kept on file for future reference in the case of an opening within the department.
“Those interested in firefighting and have any questions can stop by the firehall or are welcome to attend our training sessions which are held on the first and third Wednesday of the month from September to July,” said Fedorchuk. “They can also contact me at the office at 204-734-4403 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..”