Lincoln Township Fire Department adds first female firefighter

 

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich.—Lincoln Township Fire Department gained its first female firefighter on June 10.

Lakeshore High School junior Tatin Keyes became the department’s first female firefighter after growing up watching her dad and grandpa fight fires.

“My dad is a firefighter, my grandpa is a firefighter, so I just wanted to do it because I like it, too,” Tatin said.

While in training, Tatin will shadow other firefighters at LTFD while she takes classes as part of her junior year schedule at Lakeshore High School.

“I’m really excited to help people and be a part of everything and do what I can,” Tatin said.

Tatin says that she does not find anything too challenging about being a firefighter-in-training, but she does hope to get stronger during the learning process.

“Some of the tools like the spreader and the cutter because they’re a little heavier than I realized but it makes me want to get better and get stronger,” Tatin said.

Phil Keyes, Tatin’s father and a captain at LTFD, was excited to find out his daughter wanted to follow in his footsteps.

“In this area, in this community 110 years of never having a female firefighter, it’s pretty groundbreaking,” Phil said.

Tatin hopes that she can inspire other young girls in the area to pursue careers as firefighters.

“Anything is possible. Gender shouldn’t discriminate where you go,” Tatin said.

Besides becoming a firefighter, Tatin also hopes to follow in the footsteps of her maternal grandparents by getting her pilot’s license.