Growing up in a first responder family, I have been surrounded by those who sacrifice themselves for others. Choosing to follow in their footsteps, at the age of fifteen, I decided to start my journey as a volunteer firefighter, becoming a junior responder at my local fire department. As a fourth-generation firefighter, the first female in my family, I have been able to help others at their worst points in life while also being an inspiration for other young girls and women wanting to pursue a career in public safety. We have seen an overwhelming need for first responders as work shortages continue across the country. Women in these public safety fields are a significant demographic that continues to be underrepresented. As a woman firefighter, working in a men-dominated area can be difficult. For centuries, front-line careers like fire service and police work have been male-dominated, a "boys' club," if you will. While there are many out there embracing women in the fields, acknowledging the need for female firefighters and police officers in everyday situations, some still need to be more accepting. Wanting to help support first responders and help mitigate for the future, I am working towards a degree in homeland security with a minor in emergency management at Campbell University. Campbell has always been my dream school, knowing that they had my specialized major, which would allow me to pursue ambitious career goals. It is also close to home, which helps me to remain close to my family and support my need to work while in college. While my parents are encouraging my career plans, it is difficult being the first in my family to do this, making me feel like I am alone in a sense. Aiming towards either state or local emergency management, a career in public safety on an administrative or logistic level will continue to allow me to work within my community and alongside first responders while being able to work towards change in the respective fields. Emergency managers are able to plan, prepare, and later on, respond to emergencies and learn or mitigate from those situations to help create better practices for the future. My once-small-town community continues to grow, and while this is an adjustment, it also allows for immense opportunities. New ideas and cultures can be embraced within my county, allowing more individuals to step up and be active role models and workers. I hope to be one of those new role models and community leaders as emergency practices continue to develop for the ever-changing needs our country is facing.

I strive to become a passionate woman who has opportunities to give back to individuals in the same way others have helped me follow my dreams.

Every child has big dreams about who they want to be when they grow up. Some want to be an astronaut or famous singers. Others wonder about being a doctor or pilot. Another popular career many children dream about is being a firefighter. Being raised in a first responder household, I learned the value of the hard-working jobs that the men and women in the field perform. From the tiring hours to time away from their families, it is a taxing job. However, if you ever go to one of these career men or women, they will tell you there is no better feeling and would not want to do anything else. I have only been volunteering for four years since I was fifteen, and many didn’t believe I could do it. My family and station members have always been supportive; however, no matter where I turn, someone always reminds me I would have to work harder to achieve the same as others, physically and mentally. While being a female firefighter is growing more and more popular across the country, it is still a rare occurrence in the small town where I live. I am blessed to be at a department with my family and best friend, a female firefighter and EMT, who encourages us to work harder and believe in our strengths. However, I am aware that it is not everywhere in this country. The biggest social problem I feel I have been able to help is encouraging other little girls out there that they, too, can help others. Firefighting is no longer a boys-only club. Women are just as capable, and the rewarding work you can do is worth all the pain, training, and sometimes judgment or doubt you may receive. One significant aspect I love about volunteering as a firefighter is the opportunity to talk to others about why I love what I do. Every year we go to the elementary schools in our district to talk about fire safety, and I get young girls coming up to me and asking me millions of questions. “How did I become a firefighter?” to “How do I become one?” and many more ranging from the fun parts of the job to complex aspects and challenges. I will always encourage young girls, and boys, to get involved in their community in any way I can. It has become a huge aspect of my life, and I have never done something so rewarding. I do not do it for money, and I do not do it for glory. I do it because every time someone picks up the phone and calls 911, and I respond, I am helping someone on their worst day. I am a shoulder to cry on, a person who holds their hand, and I am calming someone down or even saving the cat in the tree. No matter how I help, big or small, I feel blessed to provide that care to another individual.

Since long before I was born, the fire service has been a significant part of my family. Starting in 1972, Wilson Mills Fire Department has been a second home for generations of Medlin's. My great-grandfather was a volunteer and founding board member, starting the chain in which my family, generation after generation, followed and became volunteer firefighters. Ask anybody in the small community of Wilson Mills about the Medlin family, and they will tell you about the passion and service they have provided to the town. My dad and uncle are both now Captains. My older brother and cousin are volunteers as well. I am the youngest in my family, and I never showed much interest when I was a child. When the pager went off, I knew to say goodbye to my dad, and later on, my brother and I always remembered to tell them to be safe. When I reached the 8th grade and was preparing for high school, I was introduced to a program my new school would be offering. The Clayton High Fire Academy was a college credit and certification program that provided high school students with their fire certifications by the time they graduated. I applied and later told my father, who had been my biggest supporter throughout the process. He started taking me around the fire station more, wanting me to ensure I was interested before taking classes. I remember the first call I went on being a medical call, unconscious person. I wasn't allowed to touch, only observe, and I remember watching everything in awe. Unfortunately, the patient did not make it. My dad had sat me down and told me that not all calls are like this, but these will be the ones that stick. I will never forget that call, as it was not only my first one but also made me realize I wanted to become a member. I wanted to help people, and the fire service's medical side truly excited me. Now I am eighteen years old and have started college. Attending Campbell University, I am majoring in homeland security and minoring in emergency management. The fire and ems side of public safety will always be my home and first passion. Still, after four years of experience and much more to come, I have become interested in learning about the behind-the-scenes aspects of emergency services. After college, I plan on either working in local or state emergency management and will be able to concentrate on relief efforts after natural disasters. While I do not see myself ever being a career firefighter or EMT, I will always volunteer as a firefighter in my community. Helping others in my community gives me joy that is hard to explain if you do not experience it yourself. I am still young and new in this field, having not yet shared a quarter of what I will in life. I will see things that make me question why I chose to do this, and I hope I am prepared for that day. However, I will always have the support of my department and family for those days to come. I love being a volunteer because you gain so much more than experience and helping the community. You gain a whole new family and extended family. People who have known me my entire life I now work with every day. I will be there for a whole new generation of firefighters, and I hope my children will experience that support whether they volunteer or not.

Volunteering now as a firefighter and EMT for over three years, I have seen many different types of people. When people are at their worst of times, dealing with situations of grief and trauma, a lot goes into this lifestyle. I say lifestyle because once you commit to a department, you are also dedicating your time to the community you now serve. My father and brother were volunteers before me. No matter what time of day it was or how long their day had already been, once that pager went off, you would see them moving out the door. Now experiencing the same thing, I understand why I still do it. People need volunteer public safety workers to help better the communities. These are the people who aren't getting paid to do the brutal acts of pulling people out of burning buildings. They are the ones who leave their families in the middle of the night to assist yours, with no actual gain to themselves but the idea of knowing they are helping others. All I have gained and learned from volunteering is why I am furthering my education to help others and my community in the field of Emergency Management. With many small towns now expanding, they need to feel the positivity and safety local fire departments want to provide them. To me, this is a very impactful way to make a change in your community that some people don't take into account when discussing community service.

Franklin D Roosevelt became the 32nd president of the United States, and he served for four terms, which is over 12 years. He helped the country back from the poverty that the Great Depression gave to leading a country through the death and destruction of World War II. While he was very influential and essential in helping the country recover and thrive once again, he had a lot of help behind the scenes. His most important advisor and supporter was his wife, the First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. She became an essential role in American politics, and with her husband hidden disability, she became a crucial part in handling many in-person jobs. She was one of the first modern First Ladies after women's suffrage to show why women were deserving of the same respect as men. Visiting many states and giving speeches in rallies for the unemployed, many people loved and respected her. Her efforts to help during the second world war would allow women to step up and help produce supplies for the war, get jobs in factories, and even on the battlefield. I want to be active in my community and hopefully the country one day in Emergency Management. Without people like Eleanor Roosevelt, that may not be an option for me today. She was a leading figure in helping the country see powerful women in politics or high-level careers. While her position was just 'First Lady,' she will always be remembered as outspoken and empowering to other women. Like many others, she lay more of the foundation down so others like me can strive.

As the daughter of hard-working and determined parents, working for what I want in life has been ingrained in me. I am an extrovert with a 'don't stop going' outlook on life. I am a people person because I love helping or being active with others. Now, I have my times when I want to be alone and focus on either homework or reading, and those are necessary for me to get all I need to do. I always feel need to always be doing something, either for myself or others.

Many attributes in life can help live a long and healthy life. It is about eating better foods, participating in physical activity, and taking care of your mind. Your mind is the comprehensive tool to making your entire lifestyle healthy. Making sure you are confident in yourself mentally will also lead to being satisfied in yourself physically. Small things in life like reading books or taking a much-needed break from social media can work the mind in good ways, leaving it to rest from the stressful tasks it does every day, such as schoolwork. A significant way I like to calm my mind down is music. I love just letting the music take over my thoughts as I relax from my hectic day. Surrounding yourself with driven people who focus on bettering themselves and others keeps you in line for overall healthy life. Then, once your mind is in a better place, you can focus, if you want, on the physical attributes. Taking walks or going to the gym helps a lot, but without being mentally prepared for the tasks your body is about to take, it will deflate overall.

For three years now, I have helped others every day. Life-changing, significant events such as allowing a mom and her daughter after a motor vehicle incident due to me being a volunteer firefighter. Small, seemingly meaningless tasks like doing my job and helping a guest at Cracker Barrel carry her things to the register. All of these moments, big and small, bring me happiness every day. There are times, however, my job can be tiring. I have experienced dreadful fire calls that make you hopeless and overall made me feel sad. However, even at those bad times, knowing I can help others every day is the reason I do many things. Yes, material things like ice coffee give me much joy. Being able to fit in a good workout or go on a shopping spree are both fun experiences I love. Helping others, however, brings me another type of happiness. From strangers at my job to my hardworking mother, who has given me everything in life. To me, happiness can be passed on, so aiding others can spread joy.