Pretend that it is 1973 and that the Woman's Liberation Movement is gaining momentum. Women are burning their bras and demanding equal rights. Now picture this: it is rural Napa County in the mountainous area of the Dry Creek watershed. The Dry Creek-Lokoya Fire District has been incorporated since the early 1960s. The men go off to work each day while the women stay home and tend to business closer to the homestead. Suddenly, the fire radios dispatch the Dry Creek-Lokoya Fire Department to a wildland fire on Oakville Grade. But, where are the men? They are at work. So who jumps into the cabs of the fire engines and race to the fire scene? The women of the Dry Creek-Lokoya Fire Department.

Left to Right:

Alice Beers, Ronnie Bingham, Bea Hencke, Bette Haggard, Joan King, Joyce Bowen, Ila Crook, Lynn Rising, Noreen Vance, Ginny Feckner, Vera Schaublin, Carol Roche, Lois Apperson.

And so it was in the 1970s. The women, who were very liberated, had only themselves to depend upon in case of a fire or other emergency. So they formed the first all woman volunteer firefighter brigade in northern California. These hardy women trained separately from the men, had their own firefighter's clothing, and drove the fire engines to the fires. In many cases their husbands were also volunteer firefighters and thus the women could tell their husbands about the day's emergencies when they returned home from work. Later, the women's group would combine with the men's group and a unified Dry Creek-Lokoya Fire Department would be formed (just as it is today).

The only other firefighters responding were the paid California Department of Forestry firefighters. These firefighters (all men at that time) would respond from the valley floor usually arriving after the women already had the situation in control. There are many wonderful memories about this hard-working group of ladies. Tim Streblow, then a firefighter for CDF and now a Battalion Chief, remembers the time he and the other CDF firefighters responded to a fire on the Oakville Grade. They arrived in time to see one of the Dry Creek engines begin to roll down the Grade without a driver. The CDF crew jumped in and stopped the engine before it traveled too far. Meanwhile, the Dry Creek women had extinguished the fire. It seems that someone forgot to set the brake on the Dry Creek engine.

One of the fondest memories of Warren Kubler, director of the board and fire chief during the 1960s, was the time Joyce Bowen beat all of the other firefighters (men) during the annual Napa County firefighting games and picnic. She could get into all of her protective clothing and put on a self-contained breathing apparatus faster than anyone during competition. Warren attributes Joyce's quick maneuvers to her constant practice during the day.

Bill Beers was the fire chief during most of this era. Tim Streblow describes responding to fires and finding Bill, standing near his truck, pointing and directing "his women" as they worked to extinguish a fire.

My favorite story, which I have heard repeated numerous times, involves Lois Apperson. I had the opportunity as a young recruit firefighter to work with Lois. She was always kind and gracious even during the most hectic moments of a fire. One very hot summer day, the women were dispatched to a fire. The fire was soon contained and it was time for the firefighters to remove their firefighting clothing in order to cool off. As Lois removed her fire gear, the nearby men were shocked, and delightfully surprised, as Lois stripped down to her bikini swim wear she had under her fire clothing. I also remember Lois would have a stick of gum waiting for me anytime I jumped into Attack 16 at one or two o'clock in the morning (she knew how to take care of "morning breath").

All of these pioneering women left an indelible mark on the Dry Creek-Lokoya Fire Department as well as on other firefighters throughout Napa County. The original women firefighters, Alice Beers, Ronnie Bingham, Bea Hencke, Bette Haggard, Joan King, Ila Crook, Lynn Rising, Noreen Vance, Ginny Feckner, Vera Schaublin, Carole Roche, and Lois Apperson, set the direction for firefighting today both in Napa Valley and throughout the state of California. Many today follow in the footsteps of these women and continue their proud tradition. Please remember these wonderful women today as you help support the present Dry Creek-Lokoya Fire Department. Truly, these are the Women Who Could and Did!

Gary Green, Chief 16
Dry Creek-Lokoya Fire Department
July 22, 2000