Crosslake Fire Department Hosting Women’s Fire Service Expo

The Crosslake Fire Department will host the first Women’s Fire Service Expo this Saturday, April 27.

The event was set up in response to the dwindling number of firefighters in rural departments and the need to recruit and retain new members. The expo will show day-to-day tasks in the fire service from women who currently serve Region 5 fire departments, which includes those in Crow Wing, Cass, Morrison, Aitkin, and Todd counties.

Only 7% of firefighters in the fire service are women. The expo hopes to break down barriers to see more women in the fire service and help serve the community better.

“[We’re] showing women that they can be in the fire service too, they can do it,” said Garrison Fire Captain Jen Elleraas. “Events like this really give people that hands-on opportunity and ways to talk to other women, to see, ‘How are you successful in doing this? How could this work for me?’ It’s a way to break down those barriers, so we really think it’s an important initiative.”

The expo is free and open to all women who want to explore the fire service. Those interested can register here.