Girls on fire

Women make up a good chunk of the East Side Fire District team

A storm that rolled through North Idaho in early June kept first responders busy. East Side Fire District Deputy Chief Charlotte Pegoraro had several calls happening at once while she managed how many firefighters were on what call, what fire engines were where and what personnel was available. “Managing a family has made me exceptionally good at that,” Pegoraro said Tuesday. “Knowing where everybody is at all times, knowing who’s safe, knowing who has what going on. Those skills we build as mothers and as people who are responsible for managing so many things at once makes us exceptionally good at doing certain things." Women comprise about a third of East Side Fire's all-volunteer department, and about three-quarters of its emergency medical services team.