GARDEN CITY, Idaho — On April 1st, the Idaho State Fire Marshal's Office hired Jennifer Mares making her the first female fire marshal in state history. Originally from Carey Idaho, Mares went to the College of Southern Idaho as a part of their fire science program and learned much of the investigative and preventive side of fire work.
- Mares in her first two weeks has already investigated a fire in the field.
- She hopes to move from deputy marshal to state marshal at some point in her career.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
"This has been a goal of mine for a long time ever since I started expressing an interest in fire," said Jennifer Mares, deputy fire marshal.
Jennifer Mares has dreamed of becoming Idaho's first female fire marshal since an encounter back in 2010 with a first responder in Blaine County.
"When I was in that car accident, that was my first time seeing a female firefighter who's actually from Carey and so I kind of knew from then on I was like wait it's not impossible then," said Mares.
She then made it her goal to get into the field of firefighting joining the College of Southern Idaho's fire science program and under teacher Brad Buehler, she learned the investigative side of firework.
“She absolutely had a knack for it. Jenny was a really good writer, and she would turn in great assignments but when it came to the prevention stuff, she really gravitated towards that, and her work was just spot on,” said Buehler.
She moved into her role as a marshal in early April and is investigating fire causes.
Though the job is mostly made up of men, she and state marshal Knute Sandahl hope her hiring will lead to more women in the field.
"It is quite honestly a male-dominated field and with Jennifer coming on board you know that that's just another good thing for our office," said Sandahl.
"I'm glad to represent here, moving forward hopefully there will be a little bit more diversity and I hope that people see that the doors are open," said Mares.
