Kelly Willcox currently serves as a Code Enforcement Officer and Fire Marshal for the Syracuse Fire Department, after spending 11 years actively fighting fires and responding to emergencies throughout the City of Syracuse. Ms. Willcox continues to maintain her training so she can actively respond to emergencies when needed. She also recently completed the First Line Supervisor Training Program (FLSTP), and is currently eligible for a Lieutenant position in the Syracuse Fire Department.

Ms. Willcox graduated from APW High School in Parish, New York. She continued her education at the University of New Hampshire, where she graduated with a degree in Marine and Freshwater Biology. She put herself through college with grants, scholarships, student loans, and by working three or more jobs at a time.

After college, Ms. Willcox worked at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo as a summer employee. After just two months, she was asked to stay on as a permanent keeper. She, in fact, became the first penguin keeper at the Zoo. At the same time, she also worked with the local 4-H youth program.

In 2005, Ms. Willcox discovered her passion for fire service after she applied to the Fairmount Fire Department and became a member. Through her hard work and determination, she earned her Firefighter 1 certificate and also became an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). She accomplished all of this while training and fundraising for her first marathon.

In 2006, Ms. Willcox became the fifth female ever hired by the Syracuse Fire Department and the first female in the Department’s history to pass the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) on the first try. Since then, Ms. Willcox has responded to emergencies as both a career and volunteer firefighter, as well as an EMT.

Ms. Willcox married her husband, John, in 2009, and in 2011, they welcomed their daughter, Keelyn. Together, they reside in Howlett Hill, New York, with their rescue dog, Bella. Ms. Willcox is a full-time mother with a full-time job who still finds time to volunteer with her local volunteer fire department, her church and her daughter’s school.