These Women Are Changing The Face Of The FDNY

Earlier this summer, Danae Mines got on our radar for being the first woman to ever pose for the FDNY's Calendar of Heroes. Her story and portrait inspired many, raising awareness about the lack of women in the FDNY. Now, four female firefighters will be joining Danae as some of New York's Bravest: Vanessa Schoening, Giselle King, Charlotte Shannon, and Antoinette Proctor.

Posing for New York Magazine, the four new female "probies," or probationary firefighters, are a testament to progress. Although the Fire Academy opened its entrance exam to women in 1978, New York did not have its first female firefighter until 1982. And, still, only 41 of the 10,400 FDNY members are women.

When the 2014 Calendar of Heroes was released in July, Mines shared with New York Daily News that she experienced some skepticism from her family when she decided to join the FDNY. Similarly, King told New York Magazine that she didn't know "there [was] such a thing [as] a female firefighter." The magazine's profile also highlights some challenges women and men alike face in the Academy; Shannon shares that the thought of spending time with her 5-year-old son got her through the intense training. Much like Mines' "Miss March" spread, the portraits of these brave women in uniform depict a small but growing population within the FDNY.

Click through to learn more about these fabulous four. (New York Magazine)