The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, March 10, 1995                 TAG: 9503080189
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER       PAGE: 03   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY CHARLENE CASON, STAFF WRITER 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   72 lines

LADY LIEUTENANT A FIRE DEPARTMENT `FIRST' ``I CHASED IT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING,'' SHARON K. CAUGHLIN SAYS.

SHARON K. CAUGHLIN, the first female firefighter to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant in the Chesapeake Fire Department, describes herself as ``positive, confident and open-minded.''

She says she set a goal when she became a firefighter eight years ago to become the first female officer in the city.

``I chased it from the very beginning,'' she said. ``I studied all the time, and I got good evaluations.''

About 10 percent of Chesapeake's 300-member fire department are lieutenants. Few women in Hampton Roads' fire departments are officers, Caughlin said, ``maybe one or two in each department.'' Nationally, women make up only 1 percent of the fire service.

Caughlin, 32, grew up in the Indian River area and graduated from Indian River High School in 1981. After receiving a bachelor's degree in psychology and human services from Old Dominion University in 1985, she worked in substance abuse centers in Portsmouth.

She also worked in Virginia Beach's drug detoxification unit, counseling people who were addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. While working at the center, she trained as an emergency medical technician, and then began volunteering in the Chesapeake Fire Department.

She was hired as a firefighter in 1987, after completing the rigorous 17-week recruit school. She was the only female in her class of 10.

``You can't imagine how much physical and mental stress you go through in those weeks,'' said Caughlin, who is married to firefighter Lt. Robert E. Caughlin. The couple lives in the Greenbrier section. ``The class gave me a Wonder Woman doll when I graduated.''

Her basic training included a 7 a.m. warm-up before running two to six miles, doing countless push-ups, climbing up and down a rope and ascending a 50-foot fire engine ladder wearing a heavy coat and a helmet, plus a 50-pound air tank strapped to her back.

Caughlin's job at Station 4, located on North Battlefield Boulevard, is to supervise two other firefighters on ``Tower 4'' whenever the crew is called out for an emergency. Tower 4 is the city's only tower truck, which has a ladder that extends into the air 100 feet and has a platform at the end of it. The truck was purchased primarily for the protection of Chesapeake General Hospital and City Hall, Caughlin said, because they are multistory buildings within close proximity of Station 4.

Cauglin must see that all maintenance is done on the truck. Her other duties include ``going wherever the battalion chief tells me to go,'' she said, which could be to any fire emergency her station is called out for.

Capt. Skip Hibner, Caughlin's supervisor, said that, because she is dedicated, intelligent and a team player, she is well-suited to her new position. He said he has ``worked with women my whole career. So having her come here was just like having any other officer come. I heard the normal apprehensions about having a new person in the work group, but nothing specifically about her being a woman.

``It really isn't a big deal; it's just another milestone,'' Hibner said. ``We all knew it was coming. I just wish it would've happened sooner.''

Caughlin said she feels firefighting isn't for everyone, especially every woman. She emphasized firefighters have to be in excellent physical condition, and have a lot of self-confidence.

``And, you have to be strong-minded. Be sure this is what you want because you get called out for some crazy things. You really have to love people, want to serve them and be able to communicate with them,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY

Sharon Caughlin graduated from Indian River High School and received

a bachelor's degree from ODU.

by CNB