Advertisement Chief Cornford couldn’t be prouder of his department and especially of his strong force of female volunteers, any of whom he’d match up against another squad's male counterparts in a heartbeat.
“No man has anything on my girls. They’re awesome at what they do and they never back down to a challenge,” Cornford said.
Rhonda Brye
Rhonda Brye was the first female on the department. She joined in 1996 after her husband, Daryl, currently an assistant chief on the Coon Valley department, signed her up.
“He came from a fire meeting and asked me if I wanted to join the department. I said “sure”. Of course he forgot to inform me that I was the only woman on the squad and that he’d already signed me up before he even asked me if I was interested,” Rhonda said.
Employed as a surgical registered nurse in La Crosse, Rhonda felt her knowledge would be an asset to the department after the village ambulance service dispersed and the fire department converted to a fire and rescue organization offering first responder service in the area.
“Most of the people we meet are already experiencing one of the worst days of their lives and being able to help them is extremely rewarding,” Rhonda said.
At the age of 45, she’d like to see more young people get involved with the department so some of the more seasoned members could step back.
“You don’t have to be a tomboy to be a firefighter or first responder, you just have to take the initiative and get involved.”
Daryl keeps Rhonda committed to the organization, which can be a challenge some days working full time and raising two children. Together though the Bryes provide a strong presence on the Coon Valley Fire and Rescue squad.
Denise Dahlen
In 1997, Denise Dahlen became the second female to join the department. Her husband Marc Dahlen, was already a volunteer fireman so together they became the second husband and wife duo on the squad. Through the years the Dahlens have responded to many emergency calls. They reveled in moments of joy and shared moments of tragedy. Marc has since retired from the department, and Denise, an EMT and CNA, is limited on the time she currently has to devote to the organization since returning to nursing school.
At the age of 43, Denise can take heart in knowing that her legacy on the department will continue through her daughter, Nikki Yanske and her son, Dusty Oliver who are still actively involved with the department and respond to calls whenever possible.
Nikki Yanske
Inspired by her mother Denise Dahlen’s lead, Nikki Yanske joined the fire department in 2000. She relishes being part of the squad's only mother/daughter team and admits she finds comfort in knowing that her Mom has her back when they are in the tanker together or out on emergency medical calls.
“Mom’s always got my back. That’s a safe and secure feeling,” Nikki said.
For years Nikki dreamed of becoming a first responder, but felt intimidated by the firefighter requirement class Coon Valley team members must complete in order to join the department as a first responder.
“You can’t just become a first responder in Coon Valley, you have to complete the entry level firefighter course as well. My family knew I wanted to join so one day my stepfather, Marc Dahlen, handed me a pager and said now you’re a member,” Yanske said.
After completing her training Nikki felt a sense of accomplishment that keeps her focused on helping others today. Her husband, Doug, and son, Hunter, occupy the majority of her free time, but she responds to as many calls as possible while always trying to find a healthy balance like the rest of the squad.
For Nikki the hardest part about being a fire and rescue volunteer is never knowing what any given page will bring, while the most rewarding part is the gratitude that patients and their families feel when their loved ones live to see another day.
Jody Green
At the age of 47, Jody Green might be considered the spit fire of the group. She would have laughed at you six years ago if you would have told her she could become a firefighter, now this dedicated member of the department has completed the highest level of training without taking additional schooling and is driven every day to learn more.
A store supervisor by trade, married to a fellow firefighter, Rick Green, and raising two children, is just the tip of the iceberg for Jody who has a drive that doesn’t recognize reverse and loves the continual learning that’s associated with full speed ahead.
“Firefighting is definitely a man’s world, but if you believe in yourself you can surpass that; even if it involves carrying a 180-pound man down a ladder,” Jody said.
Jody never minded being the only female in her educational classes. In fact, it made her more determined than ever to succeed.
“The first day of ELF (entry level firefighter) class one of the male students asked if I needed help carrying my gear, I said no. He was just trying to be nice, but I didn’t want any part of it. I had a point to prove and I sure didn’t need any help to prove it,” Jody said.
She believes in making her presence known and if that involves moving a younger fireman out of the front of the tanker on the way to a call she’ll do it. She’s still learning her own limitations, although she won’t easily admit to any of them. Instead she looks at herself as an equal to any man, isn’t afraid to go for the gusto and definitely doesn’t like to fail.
Tough as nails on the outside, she has a heart of gold on the inside. She feels the pain for families when their efforts are too late and isn’t afraid to enter a burning building if she has to. With a family history of firefighting in her blood, Jody believes destiny placed her in the driver’s seat, but in reality she knows it was her husband who finally persuaded her to join the department.
“He created this monster and now he can’t stop my desire to keep learning more,” Jody said.
Sara Freise
As an intrical member of a team, 29-year-old Sara Freise, who joined the department in 2004, has reached a status none of her female counterparts have attained on the Coon Creek Fire and Rescue squad. Freise was appointed to captain earlier this year by Chief Cornford. She attributed her eight years of experience in the United States Army as an important reason for her new found title. Her experience combined with her leadership abilities and bubbling self-confidence qualified Sara as captain.
Sara grew up in Holmen, but moved to Coon Valley with her husband, Otto, after leaving the military. She loves meeting new people and knows the importance of pulling her own weight, something you quickly learn in the military.
She expects the worst when her pager goes off, but prays for the best once they arrive on the scene. She exudes confidence in her abilities, but always remembers how important compassion is at every emergency call.
“You train as though your a life depends on it, but you continually critique your actions and look for areas of improvement. Everyone should utilize the skills they have and realize it’s almost impossible to excel in all areas. If you work as a team though, it doesn’t matter if you win or lose every time, but you should just feel confident you all did the best every time,” Freise said.
Jennifer Sisbach
Living in Chaseburg, Jennifer Sisbach might be considered the only female outsider on the department since everyone else resides in Coon Valley, but that doesn’t bother her. The youngest female of the crew she loves challenges and the adrenaline rush she gets every time her pager goes off.
From the time Jennifer was a little girl she knew her life’s mission would be to help people. Her calling would turn out to be a wise choice since medical misfortune seemed to plaque her family.
“My family should definitely steer clear of chain saws considering my father and brother were both injured by a chain saw blade and my sister got caught in a chopper box when she was little. Thankfully everyone’s turned out fine,” Jennifer said.
The adrenaline rush is what keeps the 22-year-old focused as an EMT-B at Gundersen Lutheran in La Crosse and on the fire and rescue team in Coon Valley. For her the squad is like family and knowing she’s helping people everyday gives her a sense of pride when she wakes up in the morning.
“Even if the outcome is bad I know I tried to help. I didn’t just stand back and stare. I take great satisfaction in knowing just that,” Jennifer said.
Jennifer is still learning her limitations, but admits she’s second guessed her career path more than once, when her efforts weren’t quite enough to make the difference and the outcome was beyond her control. She’s just grateful for the support everyone receives from the squad during the bad times and the camaraderie they all have during the good times.
“We have a wonderful group in Coon Valley. I hope more women step up to the plate and don’t let gender stop them from reaching beyond their comfort zone to help others in times of need. I know they’ll never regret it if they do,” Jennifer said.
Cary Christianson
The newest female member on the fire and rescue team is Cary Christianson, a 28-year-old registered ER nurse who lives in Coon Valley with her husband Derek and their three-month-old son, Clayton.
A caretaker by nature Cary is a strong believer in community involvement. As the youngest mother and newest member of Coon Creek Fire and Rescue she’s learning to juggle her schedule to give a piece of herself to all areas of her life.
“Moving to the area from Janesville I was looking for some adventure and what better way to meet people and utilize my skills as a nurse than as a first responder and firefighter,” Cary said.
Still in the process of completing her ELF training Cary admits that being a firefighter will take some getting use to, but she’s not afraid to ask questions and give it her all.
‘Learning is what life is all about and new challenges are part of the learning process,” Cary said.
To this day, Chief Cornford laughs when people refer to the squad’s seven female volunteers as his girls. “I’m smart enough to know their not my girls, they’re my equals and they’ve got everyone’s best interests at heart all the time,” he added.
Coon Valley Fire and Rescue first responder members must both pass both first responder level courses and are required to take an entry level firefighter (ELF) course before joining the organization. Anyone wishing to join the department as a firefighter only though, may opt out of the first responder course and take firefighting courses only.
“We’re so fortunate to have so many of our members qualified in both areas. Many of our first responder volunteers have completed not only the first responder requirement, but EMT basic and even paramedic courses. For a small department we really have an advanced group of medical volunteers on board in Coon Valley,” Chief Cornford said quickly acknowledging he’s not one of them.
“I get squeamish at the sight of blood. I can operate the Jaws of Life and go into a burning house, but performing the medical duties afterward isn’t a strong suit of mine. I’m just glad we have so many qualified people on the squad who excel in that area. We’re very fortunate,” he added.
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