Since the Perry Fire Department was founded, there have only been a dozen females on the roster.

Current Assistant Chief and fire historian Brian Eiteman says the first was Alice Ling back in 1920.

“Her and her husband owned a restaurant in Perry, downtown.  They were the ones that, some people will remember Denny Glick in Perry at the Hy-Vee, he would always make sure we had enough food on the long fires that we could sustain ourselves and go through the night, well that was Alice and Fred Ling’s job.  So they were huge fire supporters and over the years Alice started really getting involved in fire service.”

Eiteman says the next female on the department didn’t join until the 1980s and currently there are four women on the department’s roster, plus another female EMT.

 

Female First Responders in Perry