Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney Sagel.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up down south in Palm Beach County as a ballet dancer and track runner. When I told my peers and my family that I wanted to do something courageous and dangerous as a profession they didn’t believe me. When I finally decided to go the firefighter route, I got laughed at. I’m 5’1 and, at the time, only 130lbs; nonetheless, small in stature and looked nothing like what people pictured a firefighter to be. Their reactions fueled me to prove them all wrong.
I moved to Orlando on my own hard-earned money and used scholarships to put myself through an A.S degree path, all while acquiring an EMT, paramedic, and fire license. The schooling was harder than expected but nothing I could not set my mind to. Finding a job was not hard since most departments were looking for minorities at the time.
I got hired with St. Cloud Fire Rescue in 2018, at age 20, and was the 6th female to be actively employed out of nearly 90 other male employees. I’ll spare you details, but growing up in a firehouse was and still can be challenging. To have a voice, to make a change, to pave a path for future employees is difficult but not impossible if you learn to persevere. I’ve become known as the employee that takes on projects, provides excellent customer service, and goes above and beyond for my patients, coworkers, and station duties.
Darla Craig, the former President of Pink Heals had reached out to several new firefighters to learn how to run it when she eventually retires. I was only a mere helper in the process and did not have any intentions of taking over. Darla took us to a home visit for an elderly woman that lived down the road from the station. She said that she has terminal cancer and has been placed on hospice till her last breath. This woman had battled cancer for many years on and off and is left with much debt. Sounds pretty sad and it made me not want to go at first. Darla kept telling us just wait and see what happens. We surprised the woman and her family of 20 in her front yard with the pink fire truck. Everyone seemed to melt with a smile on their face. We brought flowers and a check and the lady was hysterical. She told us this was all she wanted as her life comes to an end. I found myself also crying. Everyone was very grateful and cherished who we were and what we represented. I felt good but witnessing how we made everyone else feel was like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
After Darla showed me what could be, I saw how she struggled for volunteers and how the work to manage this complex business takes special people. Logan Smith was one of my new firefighters at the time, and I had tasked myself with putting her under my wing. Logan saw things the way I did and had a natural will to help others no matter the sacrifice. I told her if we do not take action, Pink Heals will have no one, and the organization will fall.
Darla Craig has taught us everything she knew and provided us with a lot of material to work with. The transition was rough and rushed because we had very little time to learn as much as we could about running an entire business before Darla left. Darla provided us with any advice we needed. October is Pink Heals busiest month, and it was last year, Logan and I lead our first large Pinktoberfest event. She and I had the largest turnout and raised the most money Pink Heals had seen. This was a good sign that we made the right choice to take on this non-profit, and Darla had taught us properly.
Logan and I continue to provide back to the St. Cloud community and inspire those around us to join in on our mission. Many doors have opened to us, and we continue to meet new people every day that give us the fuel to keep Pink Heals alive. Despite the pushback we both face as very positive/kind females in a heavier stern male-oriented environment, the path has been made, and the waves have been pushed. The future is bright, and hopes others will follow in our footsteps.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Logan and I had to make a choice last year. Let Pink Heals run its course and hope someone else takes initiative to run it once Darla retired or take matters into our own hands. We are known for not taking the easy way out nor can we ignore the challenges we’re faced with. Without the work ethic, passion and drive we have for our profession, the St. Cloud Pink Heals chapter would have withered away. Logan and I did not have any experience with running a business, let alone an entire organization. We had this weight dropped onto our shoulders, and at first, it was overwhelming, but we did not let that falter us. We had to learn quickly, for the largest event of the year was only a few months away when we became the official new members. There was pressure from all directions to get the ball rolling on decisions that we did not know how to make just yet. We had to lean on each other and make the best of our resources. When time became our enemy, we never hesitated to put the non-profit first before our other responsibilities.
With bearing the weight of long fire shifts, logan and I are full-time students who also do extra-curricular activities for the department such as teaching the cadet program, assisting with EMS training, etc. It’s obvious she and I had a lot on our plate already, so to add this huge responsibility was almost ludicrous to the average person. When Logan and I were stretched to our thinnest, we still managed to come out on top because we trusted and lean on one another.
To this day, some of our biggest struggles are finding volunteers for events. We try to recruit people within the department because that’s what the citizens want to see when it comes to public relations. It turns out people do not enjoy working for free! We try to encourage and convince them how even with the small effort put forth it is for the greater good, and our impact leaves a tremendous mark. It’s hard to show people the value we see because they are not there to witness the power in person. Connecting with our fellow coworkers or even others who are semi-interested in our Pink Heals journey does not seem to hit home, even when we show them pictures/videos. We are left saying, “well, you just had to be there to see the magic.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Pink Heals of St. Cloud is a 501c3 nonprofit organization performing the activities of making home visits to cancer patients in our pink fire truck to bring inspiration right to the doorstep of those in need. We also deliver flowers, love, emotional support, and a monetary donation. We are extremely proud of the relationships we’ve created over the years and the opportunity to truly help our community members in their time of need. What sets us apart from others is that we don’t just give out donations and call it a day; we follow through with those who need our help and keep in touch through their journey. Some have even returned as volunteers later down the road.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Logan grew up with a very close family, consisting of two parents that both served in the Navy, and a little sister, along with many other local family members. Most of her childhood consisted of many family gatherings and parties, fishing with her grandfather, and hanging out on the boat with her family. Her parents are the “let’s do it ourselves” type, in other words, crafty, creative, and mechanically inclined. That mentality helped Logan to be independent, logical, intuitive, and clever. She also played softball for over 11 years which has groomed her to be a team player and proactive. Personality-wise, she has always been on the shy side at first, but once she gets to know you, she will be your best friend. She has also always loved helping others and all that she has learned over the years has made her fit to be a humble, friendly style firefighter but also tremendously equipped when it comes to volunteering for charity.
Sydney grew up with a younger sister who looked up to her and two parents from very different backgrounds. Her mother is Italian/German from New York, and her father is from Chirique, Panama. They met in college while attending FAU in Boca. Her mother Susan, acquired a master’s in physical/massage therapy while her father, Edgar, obtained a master’s in finances and business. It is no doubt Edgar and Susan were very hard-working individuals. Their parenting style was strict and disciplined but both have very outgoing and welcoming personalities. This in turn resulted in Sydney having similar traits. Syd was always kept busy with trying every sport, school-related clubs, jobs on the weekends, etc. Overall, growing up was not family oriented but normally work-driven with not much free time. Sydney learned that lifestyle young and became okay with it because she enjoyed everything she did and always gave the task her own in print. Most people’s first impression of Sydney is usually enthusiastic, happy, quirky, driven, and motivated. The social and people skills she’s developed from her parents over the years have only catapulted her growth with every new activity/job/sport she embarked on. Sydney was able to win people over, network, and bring different groups of individuals together. Though she did not have a large family and growing up was not easy, she was taught various values last left Sydney to master characteristics that have only benefited her in her career.
Pricing:
- $20 short sleeve shirt
- $25 long sleeve shirt
- $20 hat
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @pinkhealsstcloudfl
- Facebook: Pink Heals St. Cloud FL
Image Credits
Briana Fernandes
