Meet three women who have
embarked on careers in the rescue
industry. This program profiles
Danielle Gagnon, a paramedic in
Montreal’s emergency medical
service; Julie De Grandpre, a
rescue diver in the Coast Guard;
and Pamela Kryskow, a firefighter
with experience in a wide variety of
emergencies. View a preview video
clip and read below for descriptions of each segment,
or scroll to the bottom to order!
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Danielle Gagnon was working as a
lifeguard when a little four-year girl
suffered a respiratory arrest. As she
watched the paramedics work on the
child, Danielle knew then what she wanted
to do. Danielle is a paramedic. She gives
pre-hospital care for the people who call
911 and transports them to the hospital.
She currently works nights (10pm - 7am).
Danielle has a diploma in nursing and is certified as an ambulance technician at
Ahunsic (north of Montreal). Although she used to work as a nurse, she felt that
her life in the hospital was not allowing her to achieve her goals.
The job appeals to Danielle because it involves taking care of people and saving
lives. It's an interesting job and there is a place for women in it. However, she
stresses that it is physically demanding.
Danielle has to lift patients in stretchers up and
down stairs and in and out of the ambulance.
She believes she can do her job even if she has
children, but would have to adjust her schedule. She says, “You can get burned out on
the job.” Danielle advises that it helps to
separate work from home.
Danielle has never had problems working amongst the male paramedics and
believes she won't as long as she is strong physically and can back up her
partner. The most rewarding aspect of being a paramedic: “Taking care of
people and saving lives!”
Danielle was working as a lifeguard when a little four-year girl suffered a
respiratory arrest. As she watched the paramedics work on the child, Danielle
knew then what she wanted to do.
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Julie De Grandpre works for the Canadian
Coast Guard/Hovercraft Unit as a Rescue
Specialist/Diver. Her duties include
everything from surface swimming to
diving on a car, plane or boat wreck. Right
now, she is qualified as a surface
swimmer and bridge lookout. She is also
nearly finished her training as a rescue
diver. The particular Coast Guard base that she is working at is the busiest
search and rescue unit in the country.
Julie has always lived on boats (her dad was a fisherman), so it was natural to
want to work on a boat. It's the freedom of working outdoors and she loves the
ocean. Knowing that she is part of a part of team that can save lives is a great
reward for her.
One of the benefits of the Coast Guard is the
excellent on-the-job training. Even after Julie
was hired, she was able to continue her
education. Julie advises that you find out about
the industry if you are interested in her type of
job. She works on six-month contracts only,
meaning her job position is renewed every 6
months. To turn down a placement, says Julie,
would likely mean the end of your contract.
Julie works four days on and four days off. The day shifts are 10 hours and
nights are 14 hours. “It's a fantastic career with many different avenues. If you
enjoy working on the water, it's probably the job for you.”
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Pamela Kryskow is a professional
firefighter. As a firefighter, she attends
emergencies such as fires, medical
emergencies, high angle rescues, swift water rescues, confined space rescue, and
vehicle accidents.
Firefighters work four shifts on and four
shifts off. The first two are 10-hour day shifts. The second two are 14-hour
night shifts. This is a perfect job for anyone wanting to start a family, as one
would have six out of every eight days off.
“There would be more women doing this I think if they knew this
was a career option. This is a great job for women that want to
stay strong and fit their whole life. The time off is great allowing
one to pursue all sorts of other activities.”
For the most part, the job is not as physically demanding as
Pamela's previous job as a forestry fire fighter was. Pamela
enjoys her work. Her coworkers are great and occasionally she
feels rewarded when she gets to do something that really makes
a difference to someone in the public.
In addition to responding to fires and vehicle accidents, Pam is also trained for
rescue in confined space, swift water, and high angle. There's always
excitement on this job, along with excellent pay and benefits.
Click the image to the left
for a preview video clip!
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Developed in 2006 in Canada, the Career Options for Women series is an
outstanding resource for schools wanting to attract women and girls to Science,
Technology and Trades!
Please Note: These videos are an excellent depiction of women in these jobs
and are interspersed with Canadian salary and labor statistics, which are
similar to the numbers in the United States. As there is a no-return policy on
these publications, please make sure to look at the preview video clip for the
DVD(s) you are ordering.
Pricing - Career Options for Women: Emerging Technologies DVDs
