When volunteer firefighter Devon King learned that she'd landed the latest career role with Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services, she immediately called her "number-one supporter" mother to share the news.

"I was kind of in disbelief, just because it's something that I've wanted for a while," King said. "Now that I'm in the role, I love every part of it."

Originally from Kingston, Ont., King worked for Apex Rafting after moving to Revelstoke and also balanced three years of volunteer firefighter service. Promoted last November to become Revelstoke's first career female firefighter in its history since 1892, she officially started the job on New Year's Eve.

While volunteer firefighters have more leeway when they come to the station and respond to calls, career firefighters must work 24-hour shifts without going home.

"It's a huge responsibility and a huge privilege," King said. "I get to be seen in the community and kind of taken as a role model. Just being able to help the community that I've grown to love so much is really important to me."

Revelstoke now has eight career firefighters, who work with 21 volunteers and some administrative staff.

King enjoys getting to be present around town, including during holiday Santa fundraisers.

"I always really like being able to see the little girls on the side of the street," she said. "They wave up at me. I've had a couple comments, 'Mommy, mommy, that's a female firefighter!' Just being able to be that person to them and show them that they are capable of doing anything that they want in life."

Though the fire service is often a male-dominated area, King noted, it doesn't always have to be that way, and it's nice to play a role in changing that locally.

Revelstoke Fire Chief Steven DeRousie, responsible for King's hiring, said it thrilled him to see her name in the application pool for the career position, after observing her growth over several years.

"We've had a number of ladies in the department as volunteers, and certainly it's becoming more and more prevalent throughout the province and the country for women to become firefighters, so that's exciting," DeRousie said, adding Vancouver Fire Rescue Services welcomed its first female fire chief, Karen Fry, in 2020.

"I've in the past worked a lot of male-dominated jobs, and always having somebody high up that you can look at for inspiration is really nice," King added.

DeRousie noted King, who doesn't plan to leave Revelstoke, might further ascend to a captain or assistant chief role, should the opportunities arise in the coming years.

"I think that's one of the nice things about the fire service," DeRousie said. "Once you get into it, that is your career for life, generally speaking. You don't see a lot of people come and go in the career side, because it is such a highly sought-after position (in terms of) what you can give back."

King concluded, "if you work hard enough, you can open up any opportunities you want to."