New York Fire Department Elects First Female Fire Chief

The move to the top in the Pekin Fire Company has been several years in the making, as Snelgrove moved up the eligibility ladder. Still, she says the honor is "overwhelming."

She takes the reins from Kevin Beutel, who has served as chief for 12 years and will become her first assistant.

"She's the only one in the company qualified to take over," he said.

Snelgrove, a 10-year veteran, was the top responder for Pekin, answering 185 calls from last December through this past month. The Pekin company covers portions of the towns of Cambria and Lewiston, including the Tuscarora Nation.

"Her numbers speak for themselves," said Beutel. "I think she missed 15 calls all year. I was third (in answering calls) and I was chief and she was miles ahead of me. And, she's a good leader, there's no doubt."

Snelgrove also works full time as an administrative assistant at Orleans-Niagara BOCES, right around the corner from the fire hall, and has two sons, Joshua, 20, and Jaret, 17.

She recently took some time to talk about her volunteerism, interrupted toward the end of the conversation by an emergency call, of course.

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