To say firefighting is in Brittany Jewett's blood is an understatement. A fifth-generation New York firefighter, her father is a former fire chief and president of the Lake View Fire Association, while her mom is treasurer in the organization.
So it's no surprise that Jewett, 29, has become the Lake View Fire District's first female fire chief, WKBW-TV reports. She also holds that distinction for the entire town of Hamburg.
"I do have a lot of weight on my shoulders now, but my main goal when I joined the fire department was to follow in my father's footsteps, and I succeeded and here I am," Jewett told the TV station.
Jewett's father, Gene, has watched his daughter progression, going from a child who often went on calls with him to a chief in charge of fire scenes.
"You go from being daddy's little honey bunny to now I go out on calls, and she's like you have to listen to me," he told WKBW, "She was always there following me. No matter where I went, she was."
The Jewetts' connection to the Lake View Fire District stretches nearly a century. The new chief's great-great grandfather was the district's first fire chief in 1924.
"It's our second nature," Jewett told WKBW. "It's our other family. People here, they're not just friends. They're a second family."
