Leading the Way as a Trailblazing Female Firefighter in Charlotte

Published on August 30, 2024

 CFD Recruit Mallory Gazerro found a fulfilling career path with Charlotte Fire.

By Kevin Campbell

For Mallory Gazerro, becoming a firefighter wasn’t just about finding a new career; it was about finding a calling. At 25, Gazerro has already navigated the twists and turns of a traditional career path, only to find fulfillment in a field that demands both physical endurance and emotional resilience. As the newly elected president of Charlotte Fire's Recruit Class 127, Gazerro’s journey is one of determination, community service, and profound personal sacrifice.

Gazerro’s path to firefighting began with a realization that her initial career choice was not the right fit. “I graduated from college with a degree in politics, economics, and history and became a paralegal right out of college in Charlotte. I hated it. It was not for me,” she said. The monotony of desk work, coupled with the isolation of a remote job, pushed her to seek something more engaging. “It was just the same thing every single day. I wanted some change.”

Gazerro fire training with her fellow recruits.

Her search for a more fulfilling career led her to the Pineville Fire Department as a volunteer. “A few months into my paralegal job, I started looking at volunteer fire departments. I got involved and just fell in love with it,” she recalled. Volunteering opened her eyes to the diverse skill set required in firefighting and emergency medical services (EMS). “I even got my EMT before joining a fire department.”

Gazerro’s decision to pursue firefighting full-time was influenced by a deep desire to serve her community in a meaningful way. “Someone described the firefighting job to me by asking, ‘Are you someone who wants to be active? Do you like change every day? Do you like to interact with your community face-to-face, especially with people who are having the worst day of their lives?’ If you do, firefighting might be for you,” she explained.

Gazerro’s decision to serve the residents of Charlotte is part of her personal conviction to help others.

This personal connection to community service is deeply rooted in Gazerro’s faith. “I’m a Christian, and I know that I am willing, able, and ready to sacrifice my life for someone else. I’m totally willing to do that. It would be an honor,” she said. 

Gazerro’s only tattoo—a string of flowers with a red stem transitioning to black—symbolizes her belief in the brevity of life on earth and the importance of using her time to serve others. “This tiny bit of time on earth, if I can use it to serve other people, make sacrifices, do really hard things for the benefit of others, I’m down.”

As the class president of Recruit Class 127, Gazerro quickly established herself as a leader. “Selecting a president varies for every class. It’s a combination of classmates’ choice and approval by the captain of the recruit class. For me, it happened really quickly, just in the first few days,” she said. Her husband, a member of Class 123, provided her with insights into the function of the recruit class. “I was able to share that and give some direction.”

Gazerro training with fellow recruits during “survival week.”

Her leadership role involves keeping her classmates informed and organized. “I started sending out little summaries at the end of the day—here’s what we need to bring for tomorrow, where we need to be, what to wear. Just to keep everyone on the same page,” she explained. Despite her leadership position, Gazerro remains eager to learn from her peers. “I have my own squad leader. Even though I’m the president, I still have someone to look to and learn from.”

Gazerro praises the expertise of the Charlotte Fire training staff, highlighting a recent change that allows anyone with expertise in a subject area to teach, regardless of rank. “I’ve been blown away by the expertise of the Charlotte Fire training staff. They are amazing,” she said. This inclusive approach ensures that recruits benefit from a wide range of experiences and knowledge. “There are a lot of people who have a passion for being a firefighter or an engineer, and they have so much to share. We still get to learn from them.”

Gazerro and her fellow recruits are scheduled to graduate in November 2024, which you can watch live on YouTube.

Gazerro’s journey from a dissatisfied paralegal to a passionate firefighter recruit underscores the importance of finding one’s true calling. Her story is a testament to the power of service, sacrifice, and leadership. 

“Personally, I like bringing a little bit of calm to chaos. Firefighting involves organization, critical thinking, being calm under pressure, and connecting with people quickly. It combines all those soft skills with the hard skills of knowing how to extricate someone from a car or pull someone out of a building. It was eye-opening for me,” she said.

Gazerro exemplifies the qualities of compassion, dedication, and commitment.

In her role as recruit class president, Gazerro exemplifies the qualities of a true leader—compassion, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to her community. Her journey serves as an inspiration to those seeking a career that is not just a job, but a calling.