{"id":15477,"date":"2020-12-21T14:05:07","date_gmt":"2020-12-21T19:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/?p=15477"},"modified":"2021-01-25T09:25:28","modified_gmt":"2021-01-25T14:25:28","slug":"from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"From first aid to first female fire chief, Transylvania alumna reflects on barrier-breaking journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Illustrates
During her five years as chief, Chilton worked to diversify the department. She’s retiring after nearly three decades of service. Photo courtesy of the Lexington Fire Department<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

For Kristin Chilton \u201990, becoming the first female chief of the Lexington Fire Department depended on walking two short blocks to the local fire station with the rest of her Transylvania University class. The first aid class, taken as an elective in Chilton\u2019s senior year, presented an opportunity that would alter her future and the course of a community institution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before her visit, the business major and sociology minor had been feeling a bit lackluster about her postgraduation job interviews already underway. She\u2019d been wondering how she could make the demanding travel requirements of a sales position jibe with her love of fostering animals. So, Chilton accepted the fire station\u2019s offer to return one night for a \u201cride along.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was curious about what happens in Lexington at night,\u201d she remembers thinking, \u201cand what kinds of emergencies our local fire department handles.\u201d She had lived most of her life in the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It happened that the paramedic on duty was the first woman firefighter in Fayette County. As the two conversed between emergencies, an idea emerged that fire fighting might be the right career for Chilton. After all, she\u2019d long been working at a local emergency animal clinic, helping animals and their owners during emotional and fraught-ridden experiences. Perhaps it wasn\u2019t too much of a leap to the fire department where Chilton would spend the nearly three decades in service to her community, working her way up to the top leadership role in the department. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Chilton can\u2019t remember exactly how she first came to Transy \u2014 something about parental guidance and the professor to student ratio \u2014 memories of her experiences are crystalline. What she gained in the intimate classrooms significantly influenced her approach to leadership, her goal to diversify the Lexington fire department and her ability to interact with the community. But there were hurdles to jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before Transy, she says, \u201cI was not a really big fan of school.\u201d Having had reading issues as a young child, she tended to derive more information from face-to-face conversation. \u201cI think my parents felt that for me to be successful I needed to be in a small school environment in college,\u201d she adds, \u201cbecause I was one of those that liked to do 50 other things instead of school work. They felt that I would be more engaged in a program like Transy\u2019s versus a school where I could be one kid in hundreds in a hall getting a lecture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In fact, Chilton traces her development as a leader to that personalized attention and the demands of a smaller class size, including the mentoring, participation and being able to engage with a variety of perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI remember taking a sociology class and studying tribes halfway around the world. I remember being really interested in how different people lived and what they found important in their society. It\u2019s just being exposed to things that I wasn\u2019t exposed to in high school,\u201d she says. And she found herself wanting to learn more in that class, sitting around a table with five other students and the professor. \u201cThat\u2019s how small and intimate the class was. I just remember there being a great group of people and great conversations about things that you wouldn\u2019t get in a large school environment. That\u2019s what makes Transy so unique \u2014 that closeness of the campus feel and the value that I felt from the professors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProfessors were so involved and took such an interest in their students,\u201d she continues. They mentored and motivated you to be the best that you could be.\u201d Leadership skills and confidence began to emerge. \u201cYou got more opportunities in the classroom to speak or to be involved or ask questions or work on projects,\u201d she recalls. \u201cIt sets that stage early in your mind that you matter, you\u2019re important and you can be a valuable member.\u201d That sense of being valued extended to valuing others in the community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whenever Chilton is asked about the benefits of a college education, she immediately focuses on the exposure to other people and ideas. The experience offered her a community of insights and backgrounds different from the familiar circle of friends she\u2019d known since childhood. \u201cHearing their stories, being in the same class and communicating with each other,\u201d she insists, was important as well as interesting. \u201cI think it really opens your views of other people in the world.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chief
Chief Kristin Chilton at ribbon cutting for Station #24 last year (photo by Amy Wallot)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Having access to new perspectives later helped Chilton to visualize a more inclusive institution. It fed directly into her core tenet as chief to make a diverse and inclusive fire department. Diversity, she points out, brings greater community representation, but also a stronger set of skills and abilities that help to form a more complete team. As a woman coming up through the ranks of the department, she remembers \u201cawesome mentors,\u201d she says, but also many objections and obstacles for simply being female. Those pushing against her progress may have riled her tenacity to work even harder to succeed, but they also made her understand the absolute necessity of making people, who may be different or unfamiliar to the majority, feel welcomed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, Chilton has been committed to bringing people into the fire service who, like herself, might never have considered the career if the possibility hadn\u2019t been presented. That requires dispelling some misperceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you look into all the areas of the fire service and the different things we do, it\u2019s a team effort,\u201d she explains. \u201cIt does take the big guy, but it might also take someone small and petite to get down into a small opening or into a confined space. And in an emergency situation, she adds, \u201csomeone might be more comfortable relating to someone who looks and sounds like them. So, it\u2019s very important for us to bring all of those people together on a team, because a team is going to be more successful when we go out in the community. It\u2019s been really important to me to make that a goal for us to go out and reach those individuals.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chilton
\u201cWhen you look into all the areas of the fire service and the different things we do, it\u2019s a team effort,\u201d Chilton explains. \u201cIt does take the big guy, but it might also take someone small and petite to get down into a small opening or into a confined space.”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Breaking down barriers within her staff and fire fighters has been part of the process, too. She\u2019s worked to help them see their common humanity and shared goals. \u201cThe problem is that we\u2019re just not familiar,\u201d she says, drawing from her experience at Transy. \u201cIf you\u2019ve never been exposed to someone who is different from you, it makes you uneasy and uncomfortable. But once you break down that initial barrier, then you realize you\u2019re not that different. You\u2019re just uncomfortable with something you\u2019ve not been exposed to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given the breadth of what the fire and emergency services handle, there must be a job for every skill set. When Chilton started her career, the work was largely fire and EMS, with just the beginning of hazmat operations. Now special operations extend to many types of rescue: from large animal and confined space rescue to swift water rescue. Firefighters are trained for terrorist attacks as well as active shooter and active aggressive scenarios. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always changing,\u201d she says of a department that has grown in size and resources, with increasingly specialized trucks and equipment. \u201cTechnology has been one of the biggest changes since I joined,\u201d she adds. \u201cThe fire service continues to take on tasks that nobody else can or is willing to handle. We rescue animals, put flags up on flagpoles. We do presentations at schools and lots of things people don\u2019t even realize.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Chief Chilton with her husband Richard Jordan, a retired assistant chief with the Lexington Fire Department, and their daughter.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As a leader of the department, Chilton has given particular attention to people, not just the apparatus. \u201cYou have to lead as a whole for the organization,\u201d she explains, \u201cbut there are instances when you have to look at the individual. I think one of the most important things is caring about people and taking care of them.\u201d She relies on the entire organization to accomplish that level of care. \u201cMaking sure that we can do that is very important to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A similar motivation brought her to the decision to retire. One of the greatest challenges of being chief has been the time commitment. \u201cYou can\u2019t be everywhere all the time,\u201d she says, nor can you be all things to all 625 employees. It has bothered her that she couldn\u2019t attend every visitation or hospital visit or wedding. But even harder, perhaps, has been managing the work-life balance. \u201cMy family, I\u2019ll be honest, has sacrificed. It was a family sacrifice for me to do this.\u201d She\u2019s looking forward to undivided time with her 13 year-old daughter, her husband, a retired firefighter, and their many foster animals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps she\u2019ll even have time to look back on the full scale of her career, as she once did after answering emergency calls. \u201cIt\u2019s after the run is over,\u201d she remembers, \u201cthat you sit back and evaluate what happened, what you did and what you saw. That\u2019s when you feel the full effect of it. You don\u2019t think that much going into it \u2014 how dangerous it could have been. You\u2019re running on adrenaline at that point. You\u2019re getting on the truck, you\u2019re getting off, and you\u2019re doing what you\u2019re trained to do. But you\u2019re not really evaluating it until after it\u2019s all done.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Retiring after nearly 30 years with the Lexington Fire Department, Chief Kristin Chilton ’90 recalls how something as simple as taking an elective in her senior year could lead to an opportunity that changed her life and the course of a community institution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":15473,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"1385,1614,2024,5933,8742,12536","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[12,49,190],"tags":[632,631,633,634,61],"feeds":[577],"class_list":["post-15477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-admissions","category-alumni","category-alumni-outcomes","tag-new-perspectives","tag-opportunities","tag-professor-student-relationship","tag-small-class-size","tag-top-stories","feeds-outcomes"],"yoast_head":"\nFrom first aid to first female fire chief, Transylvania alumna reflects on barrier-breaking journey - Transylvania University - 1780<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Retiring after nearly 30 years with the Lexington Fire Department, Chief Kristin Chilton '90 recalls how something as simple as taking an elective in her senior year could lead to an opportunity that changed her life and the course of a community institution.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From first aid to first female fire chief, Transylvania alumna reflects on barrier-breaking journey\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Retiring after nearly 30 years with the Lexington Fire Department, Chief Kristin Chilton '90 recalls how something as simple as taking an elective in her senior year could lead to an opportunity that changed her life and the course of a community institution.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"1780\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/transylvaniauniversity\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-12-21T19:05:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-01-25T14:25:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/12\/Chief-Chilton-in-front-of-engine.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"971\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"603\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Robin Hicks\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@transy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@transy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Robin Hicks\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Robin Hicks\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3cf5216a4bc889240a7f7ab6db595c97\"},\"headline\":\"From first aid to first female fire chief, Transylvania alumna reflects on barrier-breaking journey\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-12-21T19:05:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-01-25T14:25:28+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1703,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/14\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/Chief-Chilton-in-front-of-engine.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"New perspectives\",\"Opportunities\",\"Professor\\\/student relationship\",\"Small class size\",\"Top Stories\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Admissions Insider\",\"Alumni\",\"Alumni Outcomes\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\\\/\",\"name\":\"From first aid to first female fire chief, Transylvania alumna reflects on barrier-breaking journey - Transylvania University - 1780\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/14\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/Chief-Chilton-in-front-of-engine.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-12-21T19:05:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-01-25T14:25:28+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3cf5216a4bc889240a7f7ab6db595c97\"},\"description\":\"Retiring after nearly 30 years with the Lexington Fire Department, Chief Kristin Chilton '90 recalls how something as simple as taking an elective in her senior year could lead to an opportunity that changed her life and the course of a community institution.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/14\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/Chief-Chilton-in-front-of-engine.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/14\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/Chief-Chilton-in-front-of-engine.jpg\",\"width\":971,\"height\":603,\"caption\":\"Diversifying the department and helping to remove barriers between people have been primary goals for Chilton.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"From first aid to first female fire chief, Transylvania alumna reflects on barrier-breaking journey\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/\",\"name\":\"1780\",\"description\":\"The Official Blog of Transylvania University\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.transy.edu\\\/1780\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3cf5216a4bc889240a7f7ab6db595c97\",\"name\":\"Robin Hicks\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"From first aid to first female fire chief, Transylvania alumna reflects on barrier-breaking journey - Transylvania University - 1780","description":"Retiring after nearly 30 years with the Lexington Fire Department, Chief Kristin Chilton '90 recalls how something as simple as taking an elective in her senior year could lead to an opportunity that changed her life and the course of a community institution.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"From first aid to first female fire chief, Transylvania alumna reflects on barrier-breaking journey","og_description":"Retiring after nearly 30 years with the Lexington Fire Department, Chief Kristin Chilton '90 recalls how something as simple as taking an elective in her senior year could lead to an opportunity that changed her life and the course of a community institution.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/","og_site_name":"1780","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/transylvaniauniversity","article_published_time":"2020-12-21T19:05:07+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-01-25T14:25:28+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/12\/Chief-Chilton-in-front-of-engine.jpg","width":971,"height":603,"type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Robin Hicks","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@transy","twitter_site":"@transy","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Robin Hicks","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/"},"author":{"name":"Robin Hicks","@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/#\/schema\/person\/3cf5216a4bc889240a7f7ab6db595c97"},"headline":"From first aid to first female fire chief, Transylvania alumna reflects on barrier-breaking journey","datePublished":"2020-12-21T19:05:07+00:00","dateModified":"2021-01-25T14:25:28+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/"},"wordCount":1703,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/12\/Chief-Chilton-in-front-of-engine.jpg","keywords":["New perspectives","Opportunities","Professor\/student relationship","Small class size","Top Stories"],"articleSection":["Admissions Insider","Alumni","Alumni Outcomes"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/","url":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/","name":"From first aid to first female fire chief, Transylvania alumna reflects on barrier-breaking journey - Transylvania University - 1780","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/12\/Chief-Chilton-in-front-of-engine.jpg","datePublished":"2020-12-21T19:05:07+00:00","dateModified":"2021-01-25T14:25:28+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/#\/schema\/person\/3cf5216a4bc889240a7f7ab6db595c97"},"description":"Retiring after nearly 30 years with the Lexington Fire Department, Chief Kristin Chilton '90 recalls how something as simple as taking an elective in her senior year could lead to an opportunity that changed her life and the course of a community institution.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/12\/Chief-Chilton-in-front-of-engine.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/12\/Chief-Chilton-in-front-of-engine.jpg","width":971,"height":603,"caption":"Diversifying the department and helping to remove barriers between people have been primary goals for Chilton."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/12\/from-first-aid-to-first-female-fire-chief-transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-barrier-breaking-journey\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"From first aid to first female fire chief, Transylvania alumna reflects on barrier-breaking journey"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/","name":"1780","description":"The Official Blog of Transylvania University","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/#\/schema\/person\/3cf5216a4bc889240a7f7ab6db595c97","name":"Robin Hicks"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/12\/Chief-Chilton-in-front-of-engine.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":23402,"url":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2024\/04\/transylvania-to-celebrate-alumni-weekend-from-april-26-28\/","url_meta":{"origin":15477,"position":0},"title":"Transylvania to celebrate Alumni Weekend from April 26-28","author":"Office of Marketing and Communications","date":"April 11, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Transylvania alumni are coming together April 26-28 for a weekend of fun \u2014 both on campus and out in the Lexington community.","rel":"","context":"In "Alumni"","block_context":{"text":"Alumni","link":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/category\/alumni\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"campus blossoms","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/spring2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/spring2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/spring2.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/spring2.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/spring2.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21984,"url":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2023\/05\/transygrad-transylvania-spotlighting-seniors-on-social-media\/","url_meta":{"origin":15477,"position":1},"title":"#TransyGrad: Transylvania spotlighting Class of 2023 on social media","author":"Office of Marketing and Communications","date":"May 16, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"In the days leading up to Transylvania's May 27 commencement, the university is spotlighting students in the graduating Class of 2023.","rel":"","context":"In "Students"","block_context":{"text":"Students","link":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/category\/students\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"graduation ceremony","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/05\/transylvania_transy-grad.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/05\/transylvania_transy-grad.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/05\/transylvania_transy-grad.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/05\/transylvania_transy-grad.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/05\/transylvania_transy-grad.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1772,"url":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2008\/04\/samuel-g-barnes-mary-lou-dietrich-harmon-brian-clark-wood-charles-l-shearer-and-susan-p-shearer-receive-top-honors-at-transylvanias-alumni-weekend-awards-ceremony\/","url_meta":{"origin":15477,"position":2},"title":"Samuel G. Barnes, Mary Lou Dietrich Harmon, Brian Clark Wood, Charles L. Shearer and Susan P. Shearer receive top honors at Transylvania\u2019s alumni weekend awards ceremony","author":"Office of Marketing and Communications","date":"April 29, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"LEXINGTON, Ky.\u2014Transylvania bestowed its top awards to distinguished alumni and friends during the university\u2019s annual alumni weekend awards luncheon on April 26. Samuel G. Barnes, president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank, Central Kentucky, received the Irvin E. Lunger Award, which is presented to a non graduate for unique and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Alumni"","block_context":{"text":"Alumni","link":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/category\/alumni\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/news\/images\/illustrations\/sBarnes.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1892,"url":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2006\/09\/transylvania-alumna-receives-prestigious-oak-award\/","url_meta":{"origin":15477,"position":3},"title":"Transylvania alumna receives prestigious OAK award","author":"Office of Marketing and Communications","date":"September 21, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"LEXINGTON, Ky.\u2015Karen Kaye Caldwell, a 1977 graduate of Transylvania University and U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky, hasbeen honored by the Kentucky Advocates for Higher Education with its Outstanding Alumnus of Kentucky Award (OAK). OAK awards are presented to outstanding alumni of Kentucky colleges and universities who\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Alumni"","block_context":{"text":"Alumni","link":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/category\/alumni\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12536,"url":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2020\/07\/transylvania-alumna-reflects-on-her-role-in-commission-for-racial-justice-and-equality\/","url_meta":{"origin":15477,"position":4},"title":"Transylvania alumna reflects on her role in Commission for Racial Justice and Equality","author":"Guest Posts","date":"July 10, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Attorney Rachelle Williams Dodson, who is a 1998 Transylvania graduate and member of the university\u2019s Board of Regents, discusses her role on Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton\u2019s newly formed Commission for Racial Justice and Equality.","rel":"","context":"In "Alumni"","block_context":{"text":"Alumni","link":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/category\/alumni\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"rachelle dodson","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/07\/dodsonfeature2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/07\/dodsonfeature2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/07\/dodsonfeature2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/07\/dodsonfeature2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/07\/dodsonfeature2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2020\/07\/dodsonfeature2.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21910,"url":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2023\/05\/spanning-the-years-and-the-globe-overseas-barr-society-induction-surprises-alumnus\/","url_meta":{"origin":15477,"position":5},"title":"Spanning the years and the globe: Overseas Barr Society induction surprises alumnus","author":"John Friedlein","date":"May 3, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Marty Voiers '73 got a surprise induction into Transylvania's Robert Barr Society while traveling in Israel.","rel":"","context":"In "Alumni"","block_context":{"text":"Alumni","link":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/category\/alumni\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"people holding a pennant","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/05\/transylvania_voiers_2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/05\/transylvania_voiers_2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/05\/transylvania_voiers_2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/05\/transylvania_voiers_2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/05\/transylvania_voiers_2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15477"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15477\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15524,"href":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15477\/revisions\/15524"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15473"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15477"},{"taxonomy":"feeds","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/feeds?post=15477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}