She could have been Dr. Tory Fatjo. But the title of fire captain suits her just fine.
It was 20 years ago that Fatjo, now a Broward County Fire-Rescue firefighter/paramedic, wanted to be a cardiologist. So she went to emergency medical technician school to help her get into medical school. She quickly changed her mind, however.
"I did some [emergency] ride time and I just fell in love [with that kind of work]," said Fatjo, whose achievements in fire rescue have earned her a Firefighter of the Year award.
Fatjo was among 12 women honored with Spirit of Excellence awards by the South Broward chapter of the American Business Women's Association.
"I was surprised and flattered," said Fatjo, 39, who responds to calls in Weston and surrounding areas. "It is very nice to be recognized."
The organization's fourth annual event was conducted recently at the Signature Grand in Davie, where those honored received a plaque, a lapel pin and flowers.
"We look for people who go above and beyond and get involved in the community with mentoring and promoting leadership among women," said Debra Byrne-Mathews, the chapter's vice president and publicity chairwoman.
"We look at their backgrounds of how they have gotten where they are and what are they giving back. Typically, these are people that are not given awards on a regular basis."
For three years, Fatjo has been working out of Station 67 on Saddle Club Road in Weston. She is assigned to the rescue vehicle and responds mostly to vehicle accidents and medical calls.
Fatjo, a Pembroke Pines resident, loves taking care of patients and the adrenaline rush when she helps rescue someone. She also enjoys working as a member of a team.
"At this station there is so much camaraderie, I don't know of any other station like it," said Fatjo, who also has administrative supervisory duties. "Every day is different. It's not like coming to work for me. When they hand me a [pay] check, the running joke is I try to hand it back."
When a position became open at Station 67, Fire Lt. Herb Epstein begged Fatjo to transfer from Station 14 near the Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop.
"I know she is there for me no matter what the call is," said Epstein, who has known Fatjo for about 15 years. "I am proud to work with her. She deserves this award and has helped this department out a lot over the years."
A rescue call on June 16 is a good illustration of why Fatjo is so devoted to the job.
She was covering a shift for another firefighter when her rescue crew was called out to Todd and Lisa Green's home in Weston.
When the crew arrived, Lisa Green, a 34-year-old mom, was in cardiac arrest. Her husband was trying to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation through directions from a 911 dispatcher. Rescuers arrived six minutes after receiving the call and got her heart beating in five minutes.
The preschool teacher survived and is among 5 percent nationally who pull through a cardiac arrest unscathed.
In August, the Green family visited the fire station to thank the rescuers. It was an unusual get-together because firefighter/paramedics don't often get to formally meet the people they rescue.
"It was real neat to meet her and very emotional, especially when we listened to [a recording of] the 911 calls and her husband was saying, `Lisa don't leave me,''' said Fatjo, who greeted Green with a hug at the reunion.
Fatjo first became a paramedic with Broward County Emergency Medical Services in 1985. That agency merged with the Broward County Fire Protection Division, which later became Broward County Fire-Rescue. In 1995, she was cross-trained in firefighting.
Since becoming a mother, Fatjo has a harder time emotionally dealing with some emergency calls.
"It's been getting to be more [difficult] lately," said Fatjo, who has a 2-year-old son named Gage. "Now, with being a family, you think more about the after-effects of the [rescue] call."
The death of her sister, who was killed in a traffic accident in December 1989, also changed her life and her work habits.
"I became more caring toward the patients' families and their needs," she said.
