Firefighter Maj-Britt WilliamsEighteen new firefighters now serve at a fire station near you! Check back daily and get to know them.

Where are you stationed?
I’m at Station 5 (Cottage Grove Rd.) on the ‘A’ shift.

Why did you want to pursue this career?
After graduating from college, I realized that I wanted a career that was exciting and interesting. I started taking Fire Science classes at Milwaukee Area Technical College and began working as EMT. As I learned and gained experience in fire and emergency medical services, I realized that this was what I wanted to do as a career.

The job is challenging both physically and mentally, the variety of tasks and calls provide intriguing variety, and the reward of helping others gives a sense of pride and satisfaction. These are all things that I am looking for in a career, and I have found them as a Madison firefighter.

Why did you want to work in Madison, for the Madison Fire Department?
Madison is such a great community. I love the diversity, the sense of solidarity, and all of the activity going on. There’s a certain something that you can just feel in the air here.

After living in Milwaukee for 6 years, it feels great to be back. I am happy to be able to say that I just moved back to Madison in March. Milwaukee is a great city, but Madison feels like home.

What has been the most rewarding part of your experience so far?
The most rewarding aspect of this job is being able to get out and into the community. Whether it’s for some sort of outreach or going on emergency calls, any chance we get to make a difference in someone’s life is rewarding. When I go to work and we go out on calls, it doesn’t feel like a job, it just feels like helping people. I am honored and grateful for this opportunity that I’ve been given to make a career of helping others.

What advice would you give to someone hoping to join the MFD?
The most important thing is to not give up. It takes dedication and persistence to get hired on a career fire department. I would say that it takes similar traits to get hired as it does to be a good firefighter - hard work, determination, and a sense of civic duty.

Anything else you’d like to share about yourself?
I love backpacking, kayaking, bicycling, cross-country skiing, and traveling. I’ve been skydiving twice, done two Birkebeiners, and ridden my bike from Madison to the Twin Cities. I’ve spent a summer in Turkey and have been to Iceland, Indonesia, France, Austria, and Hungary. I have enjoyed volunteering as a youth soccer coach and trail building for Kettle Moraine Southern Unit and the Ice Age Trail.

 

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Category: General, Station 5