When Keri Martens joined the Lake Louise Fire Department in 1999 she never intended to become a champion for women in what is a traditionally male dominated profession, but 18 years later she continues to break through the glass ceiling.
The Lake Louise fire chief, who is believed to be among the first dozen female fire chiefs in the country, was recently elected as the first female board member with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC).
“I think it’s just a really exciting opportunity and time right now, not only for women in the fire service, but the Canadian fire service in general,” said Martens, who was elected in September.
“I didn’t set out to become a leader in any of this, but I think now that I’m here, then there’s absolutely a responsibility for me to do what I can to change things and make things better for the next generation of women to come.”
As a mother of two, that next generation may already be in the waiting, as her seven-year-old daughter has already set her sights on becoming a firefighter like her mother.
“I’ve never really focused a lot on the fact that it was a male dominated industry,” said Martens, who is encouraging her daughter to follow her dreams.
“It’s not always easy, but I think it’s a job that can be done by anyone. As long as you can do it and as long as you have the passion for it, then it doesn’t matter whether you’re male or female. If you can do the job, you can do the job and none of the other stuff matters.”
While Marten’s gender may be today’s focus, she said she intends to use her new position to advocate for all minorities who want to join the fire service.
“I think it’s important that departments and the fire service embrace diversity,” said Martens, who is considering a position as co-chair for the diversity and inclusion committee with CAFC.
“Diversity is not just about quotas and making things better for women, it’s about making things better for all Canadians who want to be a firefighter.”
Tina Saryeddine, executive director for CAFC, said the association is excited to have Martens join the board and is eager to see her play an active role in advocating for greater inclusion and diversity within the fire service.
“We’re very delighted by this development,” said Saryeddine. “It’s an authentic development and it reflects the growing number of female fire chiefs in the sector.”
In addition to her new position with CAFC, Martens will also join Canmore Fire-Rescue as a deputy fire chief on March 5.
“I’m really excited,” said Martens of her new position in Canmore.
“I’ve been in the valley for a long time, so the opportunity for my kids to grow up here is fantastic and a great opportunity.”
Over the course of her 18-year career, Martens has steadily climbed the ladder and taken on more responsibility, including becoming fire chief for the Lake Louise Fire Department in 2002.
In her time as chief, Martens oversaw an ambitious expansion of the fire department from a completely volunteer operation to a department that now has one part-time and two full-time firefighters along with a dedicated core of volunteer firefighters.
By comparison, Canmore has nine full-time firefighters, including a fire chief, deputy fire chief, three captains and four firefighters. The department also has 36 paid response firefighters and 16 career casual firefighters, as well as a part-time administrative support position.
