When Jade Teasdale was hired by the N.C. Forest Service as a “smokechaser,” she probably didn’t realize she was making history in the local firefighting realm; she just wanted to help fight wildfires.
Females have been making strides in the wildfire scene for several years, but none had ever been hired as a “smokechaser” in Graham County before.
The first time I saw females on a wildfire was in Washington State in 1970. Several of us local firefighters were sent to battle a 120,000-acre fire. There was an entire crew of females from the Blackfoot tribe from Missoula, Mont. In later years during the time of the Young Adult Conservation Corps, a work program administered by the U.S. Forest Service, we had several young female firefighters in Graham County.
Now, there are females in highly-trained crews, such as smoke jumpers and hotshot crews that are usually sent to the hottest, worst part of a fire and this requires a high degree of physical fitness.
Teasdale became interested in firefighting after seeing the movie “Only the Brave,” about 19 Hotshot firefighters that were killed when fire overran them on the 8,400-acre Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona on June 30, 2013, becoming the most firefighters killed on a wildfire in 80 years.
Her duties as a smokechaser with the N.C. Forest Service include responding to a report of smoke (hence the title “smokechaser”), to see if it is a controlled burn or a loose fire.
If the fire is out of control, then she and other firefighters will initiate efforts to suppress the fire.
When not on fire activities, she will assist on gathering data for Forest Management Plans and checking logging operations on private lands.
Smoke chasers are trained to receive training in such courses as basic firefighting, operating pumps and chain saws, basic air operations, fire suppression tactics and others. She is also an Emergency Medical Technician, which is an important asset for a firefighter to have as there is a considerable element of danger involved in fighting wildfires.
Teasdale is also active in other fields. She is a member of Little Snowbird Baptist Church, is strong in her Christian faith
and is most proud of being a follower of Jesus Christ, and wants to give God all the glory in her life.
Marshall McClung is the historical columnist for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, mcclungs@email.com.