Public safety - It plays a critical part in ensuring residents of any community have the opportunity to live well and reach their personal full potential.  Public safety is about protecting the general public and prioritizing an individual's physical safety.  First Responders - including firefighters, police officers and paramedics - are most often providing the hands-on support that makes any community physically safe. 

The individuals who protect and serve their communities are professionals dedicated to being their best with each situation they face.  In honour of International Women's Day and together with the Ontario Provincial Police, York Regional Police, Central York Fire Services, and York Region Paramedic Services, we are excited to again present four female emergency first responders who represent their professions with honour and distinction.  We invite you to read each of their stories and learn more about how their aspirations, motivations, celebrations and strong ethic of caring for themselves and others have shaped their respective careers.

 

More Her First Responder Stories:

INSPIRE - Meet YRP Sergeant Robyn Kassam - Celebrating International Women's Day 2024

INSPIRE - Meet York Region Paramedic Crystal Wong - Celebrating International Women's Day 2024

INSPIRE - Meet OPP Constable Nicola Morris - Celebrating International Women's Day 2024

 

Introducing Captain Tamara Roitman  - Central York Fire Services Fire Fighter

 

 

Q: How long have you been a first responder?

A: I have been a fire fighter for 15 years.

 

Q: Did you grow up wanting to be a first responder?

A: No actually I didn't. I grew up in a conservative home where being a fire fighter wasn’t viewed as a professional option for me. It wasn’t until I was 23 years old and met a female Toronto firefighter that I even considered it a career.

 

 

Q: Where did you go to school to learn to be a first responder?

A: Once I decided to become a firefighter, I went back to school and took Preservice Firefighting at Humber College.

 

Q: What has been the highlight of your career?

A: A significant highlight of my career happened in 2019 when I had the opportunity to work at CYFS Head Quarters for six months (in Vaughan) and was given the chance to do some strategic planning which included working with York Region to do some predictive modelling to anticipate where we should build our next Firehalls.  It was super cool!

 

 

Q: What do you do to keep physically fit and take care of your mental wellbeing?

A: I have the most incredible network of family, friends and coworkers that I can always turn to for help or just to spend time together. Their support plays an important role in how I take care of my mental wellbeing.

 

Q: What’s your favourite thing to do outside of being a first responder? 

A: Outside of being a fire fighter, I enjoy spending time with family and friends.

 

 

Enjoy more first responder stories: 

INSPIRE - 2nd Annual IWD First Responder Community Event 2023

York Region Community Open House - Celebrating First Responders and IWD 2022

 

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