THOUGH she initially dreamt of becoming a nutritionist, life had other plans for Kerry-Ann Heron-Grizzle who struggled to make ends meet while working as a cashier in the hospitality industry.

Now serving in the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) as acting superintendent for the Trelawny Division and supervisor for Emergency Medical Service at the fire station in Falmouth, with almost 23 years of service and awards under her belt, the 47-year-old has no regrets.

As firefighters worldwide are recognised for their bravery and service on International Firefighter’s Day, celebrated annually on May 4, Heron-Grizzle reflected on how her passion for serving and contributing more to society led to a fulfilling career.

She said after a conversation with her father, she started her search for a new job. Her friend later told her about a flyer that said firefighters were needed.

However, when she called to ask about the application process, she said she was initially told that she could not apply.

“[The firefighter who answered] said to me, ‘Are you calling about yourself because you sound like a female?’ I said, ‘Yes, I’m a female’, and he said, ‘They don’t want any females. They said males from 18 to 28 years old. I was like, ‘Wow’, and I felt a little bit daunted, but a spirit said to me, ‘Get a second opinion’,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Heron-Grizzle said she called another station, and a firefighter explained that while females were not listed on the flyer, she could still apply.

She shared that she lived in Westmoreland at the time, and after gathering all her documents she drove to Montego Bay in St James to complete the required tests.

“When I finished my dictation, they started weeding out people…they marked it [the test], and they started calling out names [for people to stand]. When I looked in the room, it was about 100 persons who were there, and the room was left with [myself] and about 20 persons sitting,” she recalled.

“When I was looking around, I said, ‘Oh God, it seems like me fail because this seems too extreme’. Then they said, ‘If you heard your name and you are standing, it means that you were not successful. You may leave the room’,” she told the Sunday Observer.

She was successful, but the race had not yet been won because she had to complete another test before she could start training. After completing the other test, she waited anxiously for two weeks before she could call the fire station closest to her to know the results.

“I told them my name is Kerry-Ann Heron and the man said, ‘Yes, I see a Kerry-Ann here’ and I was so excited, and the man dampened the whole excitement by saying, ‘But I’m not seeing Heron’,” she shared.

Heron-Grizzle said she immediately started to cry. She said the firefighter encouraged her to contact the Montego Bay Fire Station because that was where she did her examination.

As she sat on the phone, listening to the shuffling of papers on the other end, she was on the edge of her seat — hopeful. Then the person on the other end found her name. She screamed with joy and went on to graduate from Jamaica Fire Brigade’s training programme in July 2002.

“I have gone through the ranks. Everybody went in as firefighters, but I went through lance corporal, corporal, sergeant, and I am now a district officer…I climbed really fast, getting up to the district officer rank in 2011,” said Heron-Grizzle.

She added that she received the Medal of Honour for Meritorious Service in 2023 and was also named Firefighter of the Year and Emergency Medical Technician of the Year in 2009.

Despite the seemingly initial gender bias during the application phase, Heron-Grizzle said, “I have never felt like a female when I am in my uniform.

“When I put on my uniform, I walk differently and I talk differently, and anything at all that the males do, I am there with them. I have been to numerous fire scenes where I am fighting the fire just like the males, and when I remove my helmet, that’s when the crowd that is there or the bystanders that are looking on can acknowledge that is a female,” she proudly told the Sunday Observer.

“Even though it’s a male-dominated organisation, I’ve never felt like I’m being excluded because I am a female. I think I would’ve been given equal opportunity or even better opportunity than some of the males in the organisation,” she added.

As she reflected on her years of service, she said there have been multiple occasions when she put her life on the line to complete her duty. One such experience she shared occurred in December 2003 at a cane field fire that almost claimed her life.

“We were beating the fire, and then there was a change in wind direction. Myself and another firefighter were caught up in the middle of the fire. We were surrounded by fire just because there was a simple wind change, and the fire started spreading. It was like a circle around us,” she shared.

“They say that fire is beautiful, and I saw that on that day. It also was very fearful because it was burning and you could see different colours, so it was beautiful in terms of sight, but, at the same time, fearful because of the heat I was feeling, and it was extremely high. It sounded like the fire was talking, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, the 31st of December, New Year’s Eve 2003, I think this is it for me’,” said Heron-Grizzle.

Luckily, she said the wind broke, the fire calmed, and they were able to escape.

While her job is a matter of life or death, she said there are moments that make the sacrifice worthwhile.

“Even though persons are at a loss after fighting a fire, and because of the skill that we would have used to extinguish a fire and probably save a life or save part of the property from being destroyed, you’re getting your little commendations. That kind of brings some amount of joy,” said Heron-Grizzle.

She added that she has no regrets about choosing the profession.

“The only emotion would be joy. When it comes to my time in the fire brigade, I always tell people one of the only regrets I have is not joining [sooner]. That’s the only regret…this job is fulfilling,” she said.

As firefighters around the world are celebrated for their bravery and service, she urged them to embrace their jobs despite the challenges. To the future firefighters of Jamaica, she reminded them that the job is about service above self.

“If you have that in mind, then join. If you don’t have that in mind and you’re just coming in because you want a job, I would say don’t do it because they say that when you’re doing something that you love, it’s like you never work a day in your life,” said Heron-Grizzle.

HERON-GRIZZLE…when it comes to my time in the fire brigade, I always tell people one of the only regrets I have is not joining [sooner]

Kerry-Ann Heron-Grizzle, acting superintendent for the Trelawny Division of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, shares her skills as an emergency medical technician with a group of students as part of career day activities.