By Caitlin Dee
The Daily News of Newburyport
SALISBURY, Mass. — The Fire Department welcomed two new members this spring and summer, with Ally Galvin and Bill Kenyon joining the ranks.
Galvin, a 19-year-old probationary firefighter who hails from Plaistow, New Hampshire, is a student at Lakes Region Community College pursuing a fire science degree and has a background as a member of the Plaistow Junior Firefighters program, among other pertinent experience.
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Galvin said she first considered becoming a firefighter at age 17 after her barn burned down and the Plaistow Fire Department responded.
“I was so impressed by the Plaistow Fire Department and everything they did. So, that kind of sparked my interest,” she said.
Now, Galvin is following in those firefighters’ footsteps, and began working at the Salisbury Fire Department on Monday.
Galvin said she hopes to make this experience an educational one and pick up knowledge from her fellow firefighters.
“I have a lot to learn, and I love learning. So, this is really what I’m here for. I love the job, I have a passion for it,” she said.
While she is a young woman in a male-dominated field, Galvin said she has always been treated as an equal.
“I’ve never once had any problem because I’m a girl. I’ve never once had anybody, I think, look at me differently or face any sort of discrimination at all. I think everybody’s been incredibly welcoming. And the people who want to do this want to do it for a reason. So, when they see somebody else who wants to do it, they’ll appreciate you one way or another,” she said.
Galvin said as she moves forward with her career at the Salisbury Fire Department, she hopes to form connections with her co-workers and make an impact on the community.
“I just want to learn as much as I can, get to know these guys and to make a difference,” she said.
Kenyon also recently began his career within the department, starting in Salisbury on May 12.
Kenyon previously worked at the Manchester-by-the-Sea Fire Department before transitioning to Salisbury in the spring.
He said the Salisbury Fire Department had long been a “goal department” of his and it has lived up to his expectation thus far.
“I keep saying I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop, because I have no complaints whatsoever. I’ve been very fortunate. The biggest unknown for me was the people, and the people here have all been fantastic,” he said.
As Kenyon looks to the future, he said he hopes to learn more about the town and its community members.
“Just kind of getting to know not just like the geography of the town and where the streets are and stuff like that, but like the history of the town, the people that live here and kind of their history,” he said. “So, that’s the biggest thing I’m looking forward to is kind of integrating into the community.”
Both Galvin and Murray will serve as probationary firefighters for one year before they become full-time firefighters.
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