The house in the small town of Granville, Ohio, that Lea Ann Parsley-Davenport grew up in was located just a couple of blocks from the fire department, close enough to hear the townâs emergency sirens sound whenever there was a fire. On those occasions, she would hop on her bike and pedal as fast as she could down to the station.
Being only 11 at the time, Parsley-Davenport wasnât allowed to fight fires, but she could watch her two older brothers in action as they prepared to go out on the call. And when they returned, she could help wash down the trucks and hoses.
âIt was an easy thing to get involved in, and I just loved it,â said Parsley-Davenport, a University of Virginia alumna who still lives in Granville. âIt was kind of our way of contributing to our community. A lot of people around here do Scouts or Kiwanis or other community organizations that are part of life in a little town. For us, it was being on the fire department and giving back that way.â
