METAMORA, Ohio — Jessica Geer is the fire chief at the Metamora Fire Department. Not only is she the first female chief the department has ever had, but she's the first female fire chief in all of Fulton County.
"It's amazing, it's rewarding, it's scary to be honest! It's something that hasn't been reached by any females! So it's just different to be the person in charge and have all of the answers," Chief Geer said.
Chief Geer said the pressure is on as her department is growing. Currently, they are on track to respond to the most calls they ever have, showing how departments like these are becoming more important across northwest Ohio.
She has been chief since September 2021, after being promoted from within the department.
During her first few months as fire chief, the department is already on track to respond to more calls than ever before.
Typically, the Metamora Fire Department responds to just under 150 calls per year, but by the end of 2021 they were close to 200 calls.
So far in 2022, they've already responded to more than 75 calls, most of which are handled by EMTs. Chief Geer explains how this shows how fast the area they serve is growing, which is something she doesn't take lightly in her new role.
"I know that I'm under a watchful eye; I have a lot of people here to support me and to make sure that I am successful in this position and in this role. I have people that I can call and ask questions to, but there is still that unknown for me" said Chief Geer.
Chief Geer has been an EMT with the Metamora Fire Department since 2004 but only recently started working on the fire fighting side of the field in 2019. She hopes her experience with both will help lead the way in the department in years to come.