Deceased former North Whatcom firefighter celebrated as a trailblazer for women
Former educator and firefighter Leslee Smith of Blaine, the first woman hired as a career firefighter at North Whatcom Fire and Rescue, died Tuesday of job-related cancer, the department announced on its social media.
Smith was 69. She retired in 2021 after 26 years of service with the rank of lieutenant, leading an engine company. Because her cancer was connected to her job, her death is classified as a line-of-duty fatality.
“Leslee’s dedication to protecting and contributing to her community extended far beyond selfless acts of putting her life on the line responding to countless fires and medical emergencies,” the department said in a statement. “She truly served as a role model and inspiration for women hoping to become firefighters. Her devotion and tenacity led to greater diversity and inclusion within the fire department.”
Smith started as a volunteer in 1995 and was hired as a full-time firefighter in 1999 at age 46, according to her department resume.
She is the second North Whatcom firefighter to die of job-related cancer after John Swobody in 2018.
“My goal was to serve my community and become part of the community,” Smith told The Northern Light newspaper of Blaine for a story marking her retirement.
In a letter honoring her service in November 2021, North Whatcom Chief Jason Van der Veen said Smith “broke barriers as a female company officer” long before the fire service began to address a lack of diversity within its ranks.
About 5% of the nation’s firefighters are women, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
“You forever changed the goals and dreams of those female firefighters that came after you, as well as countless little girls while pouring yourself into school programs at Blaine. Without knowing it, you changed the way that your male peers think leadership should look. If you ever doubt that you made an impact, know that you changed an organization’s culture forever,” Van der Veen said.
Henry Hollander, a neighbor and retired North Whatcom Fire division chief, told The Bellingham Herald that Smith’s compassion made her excellent at patient care — a critical skill for firefighters because medical calls now make up the majority of their work.
“She had endless energy. She’s a real trouper,” Hollander said.
Before becoming a firefighter, Smith worked for 10 years in Blaine schools, where she was a behavior specialist, assisting teachers in classrooms with students who have special needs, according to her resume.
After leaving that job, Smith continued to volunteer in the schools. She was also active in the firefighters union and helped to start a scholarship foundation, helped make Thanksgiving baskets for community members, volunteered with the Community Meals Program, and helped coordinate public education programs for the fire department.
“(Smith) forged strong relationships within the community and used (her) talents to elevate the profile of our organization, ensuring community members knew they could count on the district in a multitude of circumstances,” Van der Veen said in her retirement letter.
Bellingham-Whatcom Firefighters Local 106 of the International Association of Fire Fighters changed the front page of its website to honor Smith.
“Leslee was diagnosed with a cancer related to her occupation, stemming from hazardous exposures during her firefighting duties,” Local 106 said in a statement. “She battled this illness with the same courage and resolve she exhibited in her service. Despite the cancer ultimately claiming her life, her selfless sacrifice and impact on her community will endure in memory.”
Smith was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2012 and underwent successful treatment. In 2020, she was diagnosed with liver cancer, forcing her to leave the job she loved.
She is survived by Steve, her husband of 48 years, and their three children: Josh, Angie and Jennifer. Memorial arrangements are pending.
