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(left to right) Chief/Paramedic Beick, PIO/EMT Fischer, and Firefighter/EMT Dunbar.  Smith Valley Department/Facebook
31 Mar 2026

All‑female volunteer crew marks milestone for Montana fire department

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A volunteer fire department in the US state of Montana has marked a historic first with the deployment of an all‑female volunteer crew, according to reporting from FireRescue1 and other US media. 

The milestone occurred at the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department, where a full engine crew staffed entirely by women responded to calls — a first in the department’s history.

The crew included firefighters Megan McLean, Katelyn McLean, and Katelyn McGillis, all of whom have been active volunteers and part of the department’s growing recruitment of women into operational roles. Leadership noted that while women have long served in the department, this was the first time an entire responding crew was female.

Department officials emphasized that the achievement reflects both changing demographics in rural fire service and the department’s ongoing efforts to expand training, inclusion, and recruitment. They also highlighted the importance of volunteerism in sustaining fire protection across Montana’s smaller communities.

FireRescue1’s coverage notes that the milestone has been widely celebrated locally, with community members expressing pride in the department’s progress and the visibility it brings to women in the fire service.

 

CTIF Editor's Note: The State of Montana is widely known as one of America's "Cowboy states", where a large part of the economy traditionally comes from ranching and raising cattle. 
 

Photo Credit: (left to right) Chief/Paramedic Beick, PIO/EMT Fischer, and Firefighter/EMT Dunbar.

Smith Valley Department/Facebook

 

Further Reading:

https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2026/mar/23/how-an-all-female-crew-at-smith-valley-fire-sparks-conversation-about-women-in-the-field/?

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/4565572062538-all-female-volunteer-crew-marks-milestone-for-montana-fire-department?

https://www.fvcc.edu/news/we-know-we-can-do-the-job-smith-valley-fire-department-deploys-all-woman-volunteer-shift?