Catherine “Cat” Renar did not begin her career as a firefighter.
She was working full-time in advertising when volunteer work and a paramedic friend convinced her to pursue her passion.
That career change led to a long tenure with the Chicago Fire Department as a firefighter and paramedic, from which Renar retired in 2020.
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But she wasn’t finished working.
Renar has used her own experiences and the inspiration of other women on the fire department to create a new book, “Chicago Strong: The Real Women of Chicago Fire.”
“It started as a personal photo project for myself, and then it turned into a calendar that couldn’t get done in a timely manner,” Renar explains.
“And we finally made it into a coffee-table book.”
One of the inspirations for Renar’s book is Vivica Friedrich, a firefighter/paramedic with CFD since 2014.
“I remember learning how to ride my bike on the lakefront with my dad and seeing a (fire) truck extending the tower over the lakefront,” Freidrich recalls. “They were jumping out of the bucket, and I was like, ‘I want to do that job.’”
On Sunday’s WGN Weekend Morning News, Renar and Friedrich joined Gaynor Hall to talk about the book and how it was inspired and created.
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They also had advice for other women who may be interested in a career typically dominated by men.
“Just go for it,” Friedrich says. “… Just be confident. You can do it.”
Says Renar: “I just want them to understand that if they believe in themselves and they’re interested, they should pursue passions.
“You can never go wrong if you pursue a passion and go for things that make you happy.”
