from then on i decided i wanted to give back to my community. they inspired me to pursue emt, first aid classes. reporter: at 5 2 , 110 pounds, she wasn t sure she could keep up. one reason, some women may avoid the job. i would say i might not be as tall or as strong as some of them, but i definitely when it comes down to the most important part would be to do the job. reporter: in a profession never intended to include them, women still face major obstacles. in the last major survey on the subject, some report shunning discrimination, sexual harassment and other issues like ill-fitting uniforms and gear, designed for men. but in her decade of fire service in california i have not worked directly in contact with another female firefighter. reporter: while the number of women firefighters is increasing, it remains relatively low according to the bureau of labor statistics.