NATIONAL FIRE SAFETY WEEK
her firefighting
FAMILY While women might make up a very small percentage of firefighters in the U.S., Kassey Aljets is an exception to that rule
KASSEY ALJETS GREW UP IN HER BIG BROTHER’S FOOTSTEPS, following his lead in just about every aspect. Today, she has more than a dozen new brothers to look up to.
The Sioux Falls-born Brewster/Worthington transplant is Tracy’s newest firefighter, and she has more than fit in. And growing up emulating her brother played a major role in shaping her as she grew older.
“We were always outdoorsy; I loved to play with my brother,” said Aljets, the youngest of three. “My sister was nine years older than me, so I was a lot closer with my brother. I always wanted to do the things he did — he instilled that competitiveness in me; I did wrestling when he did wrestling, I did football when he did football, I played hockey for 10 years because I wanted to do everything my brother did.”
While some female firefighters might face systemic obstacles such as a lack of support and limited advancement opportunities, such is not the case for Aljets in Tracy. As a matter of fact, she said the guys in Tracy have become a second family, ones who have not only accepted her, but have guided her and quickly grew to trust her.
“They’re like my brothers — anytime I need something … they were all at my house helping me move,” she said. “If I do need something, I know that they’ll be here for me. They’ve always been helpful. They’ll give me crap at times because they’re like my brothers, but in all seriousness, if I have questions, they’re going to answer — they’re going to teach, not just tell me something.”
Aljets saw joining the fire department as another way to challenge herself, mentally and physically, similar to making the leap to become a member of the Minnesota Army National Guard.
“I’ve always wanted to push myself, and there’s no one in my immediate family who did the military or a fire department,” she said. “I like to do things that kind of stray away from my siblings and my family, granted they are my biggest supporters. I want to show other people that I can do these things. And I love helping people.”
According to the website Women in Fire, the number of female firefighters in the United States has increased over the past decade. Statistics from the 2020 U.S. Fire Department Profile indicate there are approximately 90,000 female firefighters in the country — that’s 9% of all firefighters; the vast majority (72,400) hold volunteer positions. More than 22,316 fire chiefs are currently employed in the United States, and about 6% are women.
Aljets knows of the stigma surrounding the firefighting profession and is aware female firefighters are not exactly a dime a dozen.
“It’s not like something where I wish there were more females; I think females should do it if they can,” said Aljets, whose assimilation into the fire department was driven, not only by her brother’s influence, but also by her time with the Guard.
“The military has really helped, because I’m in a very male-dominated environment, always surrounded by guys all the time,” she said.
Aljets, who lives in town with her “best friend,” Summit, a 3-year-old golden retriever, graduated from Worthington High School in 2022 and at the age of 17 enlisted with the Guard, shipping off to basic training at Fort Sill, OK.
Between taking part in athletics in her younger years and being a member of the military, Aljets is in tip-top shape, which is one reason she is able to perform the tasks required of her as a firefighter. “I know my body is capable of doing it, it’s more of a mental thing for me,” she said. “If I tell myself I can do it — it’s temporary pain — I can do it. I do like to run, which helps with my endurance, and my strength I get from my day-today job.”
That would be working for Boerboom Ag Resources, which always tests her physically.
“I work with commercial hogs all day, moving 300-pound pigs around, so that helps.”
Aljets took her initial fitness tests this past March and officially joined the TFD in April; she will soon be taking her Firefighter I and Firefighter II tests, along with completing her Emergency Medical Response training.
