Wilton’s First Female Firefighter: ‘She got this job because she was the best candidate’

Dreams come true … and Wilton’s first female firefighter wants young people to know that anything can be possible if you dream it.

Megan Morra, 32, is thrilled to have joined the Wilton Fire Department this year, and department leaders are just as glad to have her on their team.

“The hiring process here is lengthy,” Fire Chief Jim Blanchfield said, “and we strive to hire excellent people, irrespective of male or female. Firefighter Morra’s background and commitment to this profession was evident from the outset of the process.”

For Morra, turning her career toward firefighting was a seemingly natural change, given the history of professional firefighters in her family, including her father and grandfather.

“My grandfather was a firefighter in Iowa, which is where I was born,” she said.

Her father, Mike, spent many years as a volunteer firefighter with both Fairfield and Stratford.

“I’m very proud that Megan is now a part of the professional firefighting family,” he said.

“For all of her life, Megan has gone out of her way to help out her neighbors and tend to those in distress or danger, many times at her own sacrifice,” he said. “Putting that together with all of her other virtues and talents, and it’s obvious that she was destined to serve others in this capacity.”

After moving to Connecticut around age nine, despite her interest, Morra never saw working as a firefighter as being any kind of an option for a woman.

“I didn’t ever think I could,” she said. “I didn’t think I was allowed to.”

Instead, Morra pursued her love of animals and interests in medicine, becoming a veterinary technician — something she continues to be involved with during her down time from the department.

One day while in Shelton, she was with a friend who worked as a volunteer firefighter and ended up responding to a call with them.

“I’m not one to just stand around,” she said, so she pitched in during and after what was a significant structure fire in that city. It led to her joining that volunteer force.

“I started in Shelton as a volunteer,” she said, finding a joy and natural affinity for the work. That department put her through Fire One and Fire Two training over the next couple of years, giving her the basics, including driving training and help with licensing.

“It’s intense,” Morra said of the training. “You have to be physically fit. You have to pull 150 pounds. You have to be comfortable going into small spaces.”

“It wasn’t too hard for me,” she said, describing herself as a tomboy. “You just have to be ready for the job.”

Captain Michael Blatchley of Wilton’s department shared praise for Morra’s qualifications.

“Megan didn’t get this job because she was a female,” he said. “She got this job because she was the best candidate. She proves this every day by having a positive attitude and performing her duties as a firefighter both proficiently and professionally.”

Morra, likewise, offered nothing but praise for her Wilton team.

“Capt. Blatchley has been awesome,” she said. “Everybody here has been … They’re all my brothers.”

She said the department itself is a great place to work, offering additional certifications and training on a regular basis. Her intention is to stick around for the long haul and probably, when she becomes eligible in five years, test for an officer position.

“It’s obvious she likes to learn,” Blanchfield said, “likes to work hard and likes to help people. That’s a good combination for a new firefighter.”

“It’s a dream job,” Morra said, “definitely a dream job.”

Megan’s mother, Frances Morra, proudly highlighted her daughter’s numerous accomplishments — everything from helping to birth baby calfs while studying husbandry, to driving tractors and big rigs while working on a dairy farm when she was young.

“Firefighting embodies everything Megan values,” she said, calling her daughter a gem. “My husband and I are so very proud of her.”

“Until a few years ago, I had no clue that Megan was interested in becoming a firefighter,” her father said. “When she first joined Shelton’s Pine Rock Park Company No. 4, though, we could all see how much she enjoyed developing her firefighting skills and trying to be the best that she could be.”

“My hope is that other women — and young girls — will be inspired by Megan’s achievement and possibly consider their own career in firefighting,” he said. “Megan may be Wilton’s first female firefighter, but she surely will not be the last.”

Recently, Morra paid a visit to the Wilton Library with other firefighters, reading books and sharing about her job with some children. One little girl was particularly fascinated with the idea of doing a job that historically has only been associated with men.

“She actually said to me what I said — ‘Can I do this?'” Morra remembered.

“I love the idea of inspiring people — young girls, and boys too,” she said. “It’s rewarding.”