Coronavirus Montgomery County: Abington Woman Juggling Duties As Mom, Volunteer Firefighter, COVID-19 Frontliner
ABINGTON, Pa. (CBS) -- The Abington Township Fire Department has more than 200 volunteer firefighters across its five stations. Very few are women. On this Mother's Day, Eyewitness News introduces a young mother on the frontlines of fire and more.
No. 41 inside the Abington Township Fire Department is Jen Kingsberry, who is one of 12 women who volunteer in the company, according to a firehouse spokesperson.
"It feels great especially because I am a woman or a female firefighter, we don't have a lot," Kingsberry said.
She's has responded to nearly 700 fires in nearly four years. Her husband, Sean Kingsberry, has been in the company for seven years and together, they're the parents of the rambunctious 1-year-old Keira.
"It does feel good to set a good example and to let her know that she too can do these things that aren't traditionally female roles," Kingsberry said.
There are very few hours for Kingsberry to sleep, juggling her time as a mother, a volunteer firefighter and more.
She's also a respiratory therapist at Penn Presbyterian Hospital on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19.
"If it's a burning building or a current pandemic, as long as I'm protected and take the time to protect myself, I'm here to go in and help the community as well," Kingsberry said.
So whether the doors go up or the mask comes down, as usual, mom knows just what to do.
"They both can be scary. At the end of the day, you do both things because you want to help other people," she said. "My overall attitude is as long as I have protective gear, I am here to serve."
The perfect Mother's Day for this supermom? A little time in her garden. Here's hoping she gets it.
