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A special constable with the Saskatoon Police Service says self doubt should never stop young women from pursuing a career in emergency services.
Alternative response officer Hailey Erickson said she attended an event about careers in emergency services to help uplift other girls who are considering careers as first responders.
The annual showcase held by the Saskatoon police aims to educate women and girls about the possibilities in careers as a firefighter, police officer or paramedic.
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Erickson said she didn’t always dream of being a police officer, and started her career doing administrative work for the service.
Female first responders participate in a demonstration at the Explore Emergency Services event hosted by the Saskatoon Police Service. (Mia Holowaychuk/650 CKOM)
“I noticed that I really had a lot of strengths to offer on the front line, so that is kind of when it inspired me to make the jump into this spot,” she said.
Throughout her career, Erickson said she has had moments of self doubt that come from being around intelligent and skilled police officers, but she said being in a male-dominated industry has never been a barrier for her.
“We’re outnumbered, so that’s why we’re here and why we want to have more of a representation of women,” she said, noting she has had support from both men and women during her time in the field.
“Yes you can, you should, and we need you,” she said.
Karla Sawatzky said her journey to becoming a firefighter and paramedic wasn’t conventional either. In fact, it happened by chance.
“I sort of literally wandered into a fire hall and inquired about what an opportunity there might look like, and that quickly turned into a career,” she said.
Sawatzky said it was never a matter of feeling “like a woman couldn’t do this job,” and she said she has always felt supported by her co-workers, peers and the broader community.
Alternative response officer Hailey Erickson said she started doing administrative work and later became a special constable with the Saskatoon Police Service. (Mia Holowaychuk/650 CKOM)
She said women bring a different kind of creativity in the workplace, and often approach challenges with a different problem-solving mindset than their male colleagues. Sawatzky said in firefighting, some tasks require immense physical strength, but she has been able to accomplish the same tasks by relying on creativity rather than brute strength alone.
Sawatzky said she welcomes questions and curiosity from those who are interested in firefighting.
“I think it’s a good opportunity to show people that it really is a matter of where your heart is at and how much work you are willing to put into something that you care about,” she said.
Carla Roy, an advanced-care paramedic and senior operations manager with Medavie Health Services, said the industry looked a lot different when she began her career as a paramedic at 18, with far fewer women in the field.
“I just did the work and kind of fit in, and never had any issues with that,” she said.
Today, Roy said women make up about half of Medavie’s workforce.
As a mother, Roy said she has been able to connect with patients and children throughout her career. One of her favourite memories was helping deliver a baby.
“It scares most people, and me a little bit sometimes as well, but it’s a really happy moment,” Roy said. “Even if it wasn’t a home birth that was planned, it usually ends up being a really exciting moment to be part of with that family.”
Roy said she loves her job because it gives her a chance to save lives.
“If someone calls and they’re having a cardiac arrest and we’re actually able to successfully resuscitate them, and then getting to meet them after, it’s pretty special,” she said.
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