September 1, 1984

Woman could be assistant chief

       In June 1977 Pat McDaniel was bitter and hurt because her fellow firefighters on the White River Township Fire Department voted to reject her application for permanent membership.  During her one year probationary period, she had made more than 200 fire and rescue runs in White River Township and she said she felt the rejection was based on the fact that she was a woman.  Things have changed a lot in six years.  Sunday members of the department will decide if Mrs. McDaniel will be the department’s next assistant fire chief.  Soon after being denied a position on the department, the firefighters voted again and accepted her as a permanent member.  Since then, she has been the department’s public relations director, served as investigations chairman and become a firefighting instructor, said Kenny Dowden a department member.  She’s braved bitter cold and gone out on 3 a.m. calls.  She’s used her emergency medical technician skills to keep accident victims alive, fellow officers say.  She’s entered burning structures to bring fires under control.  She’s stood in pouring rain collecting money in a fireman’s boot to help pay for the department’s rescue squad vehicle, Dowden said.  This month, White River Township volunteer firemen nominated her for the assistant chief’s position.  Sam Williams, Johnson County civil defense director, said it’s the first time he remembers a woman being nominated for such a position on a Johnson County fire department.  Howard Bennis, Glenn Duthie and Mrs. McDaniel were nominated for the assistant chief’s position.  Bob Wehrman and Steve Shelton will vie for the fire chief’s position in Sunday night’s vote.
 
 

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