BIG ISLAND, Va. – In a job traditionally dominated by men, a spark of inspiration ignites as 16-year-old Ashley Goff paves her own path and breaks barriers for a generation of women in the field of firefighting.
For Ashley Goff, starting to officially work for the Big Island Volunteer Fire Department was only a matter of time. After all, it runs in the family.
“I am so blessed to work with my grandfather, my dad [and] my sister. My uncle is in this fire department, [and] my mom was in the rescue squad,” Goff said.
Just last month, Goff passed her firefighter 1 and hazmat ops certification, landing her the title of becoming the first female junior firefighter.
“It was amazing; I worked really hard with it so I had school and softball and my job during it, so it was a lot, but I’m really proud of myself and I can,” Goff said.
The chief of the fire department, Ashley’s dad, marvels at her commitment to service and remembers her walking around the station as his little girl.
“It makes you overwhelmed when you think about it because I remember bringing her in here and taking her out to ride around the parking lot in the firetruck, and she could barely sit up on my lap, and then now, she’s actually riding in the back of the truck,” said TJ Goff, Ashley’s dad.
I asked Ashley if she ever got nervous while heading to a fire, to which she responded: “You have to go through your training that you have and you just have to believe in yourself.”
Her infectious determination is encouraging not only younger generations but also the women who want to start their journey in a male-dominated field.
“I say just do it; it’s a lot of fun. It is a little strenuous, [and] it’s a lot of hard work, but everyone can do it, and if you put your head to it, you can do it. I can’t wait to get into it and help my community,” Goff said.