East York Firefighter Danielle Comolli Takes the Scenic Route to Her Dream Job
By Karen Helm
The road to self-realization is a tricky one to navigate, cluttered as it is with the big decisions – and distractions – of youth. Sidetracks are not uncommon. Declaring false majors in university. Accepting unfulfilling employment. Falling in and out of love. While the distractions on this day are the trivial ones associated with a bustling cafe (coffee beans landing noisily in a jar, earnest students discussing Descartes, the intermittent scraping of chair legs on the floor), Danielle Comolli has found her way through some serious detours in her 34 years. Virtually nothing has gone according to plan. And she’s pretty happy about that. For now.
“I really didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. It kept changing, based on how much I didn’t like what I was doing,” she explains, leaning over her almond latte. Born and raised in Montreal, Danielle moved to Ottawa for her post-secondary education, little knowing how lengthy and haphazard that journey would prove to be. She made preliminary stops at the University of Ottawa, Carleton University and Algonquin College, studying diverse subjects that included general sciences, computer programming and commerce, before finally completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario. Still unsure of what marketable skills she possessed, she enrolled in teacher’s college at Brock, vaguely considering that she may become a gym teacher. Unhappy with this choice, she dropped out a few months later, and surrendered herself to the workforce. A series of largely unsatisfying desk jobs in the financial sector followed.
Recalling her misguided younger self, Danielle’s delivery is one of comical exasperation. Her big, green eyes widen with exaggerated disbelief, and the faint valley-girl inflections in her voice grow more pronounced. It’s a comedy driven by frustration as well as relief; she’s in a better place now.
Dream Job Revealed
Ironically, after nine years of planning and re-planning her career, she happened upon what appears to be her life’s work by chance. A neighbour suggested it to her. “I never thought I was going to be a firefighter,” she says. But it instantly made sense. Having always valued physical fitness, it seemed like the perfect way to apply her strengths to a professional setting. And so, a year and a half after beginning the application process, she completed – and passed – her final round of tests. It turned out to be a self-defining moment. She had never imagined that a job would mean so much to her. “I’m really proud that I did this,” she says with certainty (and not a little amazement).
Stationed at the Gerrard and Carlaw firehall, Danielle has now been a Toronto firefighter for more than five years (a record in her employment history), and is still “loving it.” A lifelong participant in team sports, she finds a similar camaraderie exists amongst “the guys” at her hall. And being the only woman on her shift doesn’t bother her – much. The guys have been quite accommodating, treating her like their “kid sister,” though she does express slight regret at choosing to sleep in the dorm rather than accept a private room. The snoring is one thing, but the vision of “tighty-whities” passing by in the night? “Oh! My eyes!” she laughs, clapping her hands to her face.
‘A good day to die’
Danielle believes her sense of humour is a key part of what makes her well-suited to her job. Dealing with traumatic events on a daily basis is draining; it’s important “to lighten up” and keep emotions in check. But her greatest strength? She answers without hesitation: her ability to remain “calm under stress.” Where others panic, she thrives, gaining even greater focus. Citing a piece of advice she was given early on, she says, “you have to believe that every day is a good day to die. I guess I’ve accepted that.”
But what does scare her, if not death? “Not a whole lot,” she quips and then pauses, considering. Having ended her marriage two years ago, an experience she singles out as the most difficult of her life, Danielle worries that she will never find her perfect match. She and her ex-husband had planned to have two children by now, but long-term planning has not served her well. Anything but defeatist, though, Danielle can still envision marriage and children on her horizon. She just won’t be making any premature arrangements. “There’s no point planning for the future. Whatever happens, happens. That’s what I believe now,” she says, narrowing her eyes slyly, and smiling. “That might change.”
Photograph contributed by Danielle Comolli
