Fire Captain Laurel Walters is moving on – The Pajaronian

Central Fire Capt. Laurel Walters, the first female firefighter hired by the Central Fire Protection District, hung up her helmet Thursday after 28 years of service.

As a farewell ceremony, other firefighters joined her and her family, including her husband, her two teenage children, her teenage stepdaughter and her grandmother, for a final ride through the city of a fire truck.

“I’ve been thinking a lot over the last few weeks,” she said. “Thinking about my career as a firefighter makes me feel like I won the lottery. It’s such luck; I didn’t plan on becoming a firefighter – it kind of found me.

Walters said his career has been “a crazy, incredible ride.”

“There were ups and downs,” she said. “The fire service is such a unique organization; there is this family aspect. I was born and raised in Santa Cruz, so being able to work here and drive the engine, make calls, help people and greet people has been amazing.

Walters was hired by Central Fire on December 1, 1996 as a paid firefighter, then promoted to firefighter in 1998. She completed firefighter/paramedic training in 1999 and was promoted to captain in 2007.

Walters was also a member of the department's water rescue team. and led Central Fire's Explorer program which introduces high school students to the world of fire service.

“I've heard a lot about a woman not being able to do this kind of work,” she said. “There's a funny story where we were all standing at the Jade Street Community Center and I was standing in front of this gentleman and all the guys in uniform were standing behind him and he looked at me and said, 'So son, how long has it been? you did that ? And all the guys behind him were laughing, but he couldn't see them. And I just said, 'You know what? I've been doing this for a while now, sir. But overall, I've had so much support. This department has been incredible.