Heidi Charest & the future of the fire service

Firefighting takes tremendous physical effort day in and day out. Being physically fit is a necessary part of the job – being one of the most physically fit firefighters in the country is a remarkable feat, one that Heidi Charest with the Lady’s Island-St. Helena Fire District knows well.

Charest earned not one world title at the Firefighting Combat Challenge World Championship in 2020, but three. She bested her competition in the Open Female Division, Over 40 Female Division, and Male-Female Tandem Division partnered with a firefighter from Texas. She finished the Open Female Division in impressive time – less than three minutes.

Her competitive nature lends itself well to the job, and her history in fitness competitions helps maintain motivation to cross the finish line.

“I got started in fitness in the early 2000s, working with a trainer and then got into figure fitness competitions. When I moved back to Lady’s Island, I got into CrossFit. The firefighter competitions and CrossFit lend themselves to each other pretty naturally,” said Charest.

Charest is the first in her family to join the fire service and she started out, as most do, as a volunteer with the Lady’s Island-St. Helena Fire District. Within months, she was hired full-time.

“I loved it immediately,” said Charest. “I liked that every day that you worked or volunteered, there was always something different. There’s somewhat of a routine, but you never know what you’re going to get.”

In a profession where stigma about women in the workplace still has a firm grip on its reputation, Charest is competing with and defeating the best of the best in the fire service. Her latest accolades are proof that there is immeasurable value in women entering the fire service. She’s well aware of the challenges women face when joining the fire service but knows the future is bright.

“Going into schools and not just speaking to the girls but all levels is how we start to cross those hurdles,” she said. “People will say, ‘I need a guy to do this,’ but I can do it, too. Bringing up the young people to realize that there is no difference – I can do what the guys can do. It may take a little extra work, but it can be done.”

Charest’s advice to the next generation of female fighters is simple.

“Stick with it,” she encourages, “The road will be rough but stick with it. You’re more capable than you think you are.”

Read more about Charest’s Firefighting Combat Challenge World Championship success in this Island Packet article.

Firefighting takes tremendous physical effort day in and day out. Being physically fit is a necessary part of the job – being one of the most physically fit firefighters in the country is a remarkable feat, one that Heidi Charest with the Lady’s Island-St. Helena Fire District knows well.

Charest earned not one world title at the Firefighting Combat Challenge World Championship in 2020, but three. She bested her competition in the Open Female Division, Over 40 Female Division, and Male-Female Tandem Division partnered with a firefighter from Texas. She finished the Open Female Division in impressive time – less than three minutes.

Her competitive nature lends itself well to the job, and her history in fitness competitions helps maintain motivation to cross the finish line.

“I got started in fitness in the early 2000s, working with a trainer and then got into figure fitness competitions. When I moved back to Lady’s Island, I got into CrossFit. The firefighter competitions and CrossFit lend themselves to each other pretty naturally,” said Charest.

Charest is the first in her family to join the fire service and she started out, as most do, as a volunteer with the Lady’s Island-St. Helena Fire District. Within months, she was hired full-time.

“I loved it immediately,” said Charest. “I liked that every day that you worked or volunteered, there was always something different. There’s somewhat of a routine, but you never know what you’re going to get.”

In a profession where stigma about women in the workplace still has a firm grip on its reputation, Charest is competing with and defeating the best of the best in the fire service. Her latest accolades are proof that there is immeasurable value in women entering the fire service. She’s well aware of the challenges women face when joining the fire service but knows the future is bright.

“Going into schools and not just speaking to the girls but all levels is how we start to cross those hurdles,” she said. “People will say, ‘I need a guy to do this,’ but I can do it, too. Bringing up the young people to realize that there is no difference – I can do what the guys can do. It may take a little extra work, but it can be done.”

Charest’s advice to the next generation of female fighters is simple.

“Stick with it,” she encourages, “The road will be rough but stick with it. You’re more capable than you think you are.”

Read more about Charest’s Firefighting Combat Challenge World Championship success in this Island Packet article.