Kaitlyn Bazarewski

Kaitlyn Bazarewski is the first woman to rise to the rank of Assistant Chief in the North Bellmore Volunteer Fire Department. Accomplishing her duties with great achievement, she became Lieutenant, and later the Department’s first female Captain, leading Company 2, in March 2019.

Ms. Bazarewski hails from a family of dedicated volunteer firefighters and always knew she had a calling to service. Growing up, she spent much of her time at the fire station washing fire trucks on Sunday mornings with the volunteers she considers family. As she became older, she questioned why women held the position of EMTs, but she assumed firefighting was a maledriven role. She spoke with her father, an ex-chief with over 30 years in the Department, and to Chief Artie White – who had known her much of her life – and was told, “Look, women can do this!”

Ms. Bazarewski not only undertook the responsibility of becoming a volunteer firefighter, but accomplished this endeavor while simultaneously attending the Police Academy to become a New York City Police Officer. For six years, she worked NYPD Patrol with the 103rd Precinct. Currently, she is vigorously working to remove illegal guns from the streets. She is assigned to the New York City Police Department Detective Bureau in Jamaica, Queens and is actively striving toward a promotion.

Whether combating crime or fighting the flames of a fire, Ms. Bazarewski is dedicated to protecting and serving others within her community and beyond. When asked what motivates her to service, Ms. Bazarewski states, “I’m a huge community person and I want to help people. That’s in my nature. I never felt pushed to do anything like this – it’s just who I am.”

A North Bellmore native, she has helped pave the way for other newcomers in the Department, particularly women, and approximately five more women have joined the Department. At the firehouse, she handles the day-to-day operations of running the building, making sure new membership is getting training from senior membership, maintaining the fire trucks, and ensuring everything is in working order.

Ms. Bazarewski is a role model who has stepped up to take on some of the challenges that life brings. She is a dedicated public servant who fights daily to make our lives and our community a better place to live.