One of the Boys
Deputy Chief Kathy VanPatten is retiring from the East Lansing Fire Department and the local newspaper has a nice article about her career. Included in the article is a great story from early in her career (from the Lansing State Journal).
Retired Fire Chief Jack Gregg, who hired VanPatten, recalled an incident that truly made her "one of the boys."When it was her turn to cook shortly after joining the department, an off-duty firefighter came into the department training room to talk to another employee. His language included four-letter expletives, one of which he used just as VanPatten entered the room.
Red-faced, he apologized for his language. VanPatten shrugged and returned to the kitchen.
"Minutes later, Kathy returned to the training room and announced that their (expletive) lunch was ready and flashed a big smile to the off-duty person," Gregg said.
VanPatten said she did her best not to be different.
Hah! That is too good - it made me laugh.
