Her fire burns blue

Rachell Sierzega first learned the perils posed by hazardous materials at Fort Benning (now Fort Moore) in Georgia, where she trained on how to respond to chemical weapons attacks as a member of the U.S. Army. 

Fortunately, she never faced a true trial by fire. But the difficulty of trying to deal with a life-or-death situation while loaded with combat gear and personal protective equipment (PPE) left a lasting impression on her. 

So much so that it would later inform one of her signature achievements on the road to becoming the first-ever female fire battalion chief at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory. 

“My only goals are to support my team and make sure that everyone on my watch goes home safe.” — Rachell Sierzega, Argonne fire battalion chief

Answering the call of the bells 

After finishing active duty with the army, Sierzega settled in Chicago’s southwest suburbs. There, she worked as a vestibular technician at a medical clinic. Before long, she became restless working in the office-like environment and sought a role that would provide ​“more action.” So, she began training to become an emergency medical technician (EMT) through Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Ill. 

During this time, a colleague suggested that she participate in a ride-along with one of the local fire departments. 

“As soon as I heard those bells go on, I felt, ​‘Oh man, I belong here,’” she recalled. 

Based on that experience, Rachell began training to become a firefighter after completing her EMT training. After graduating from the fire academy, she joined the Roberts Park (Ill.) Fire Protection District. Despite the demands of her EMT/firefighter role and raising a young daughter, she subsequently moved on to and graduated from paramedic school. After that, she secured a new position with the nearby Western Springs Fire Department, where she worked for a year before discovering she was pregnant with triplets. Their arrival kept her home to put out fires of a different kind — full time. 

Scarcely a year later, however, Sierzega returned to action and eventually made her way to Argonne. 

Culture of continuous improvement 

Joining Argonne reconnected Sierzega to her interest and prior training in hazardous materials (hazmat) response. Argonne researchers work with all manner of chemicals — many of them hazardous — as they pursue innovations that can further DOE’s missions to drive U.S. global energy technology leadership, combat climate change and secure the nation’s energy independence. As such, safety is one of the laboratory’s core values. 

Within the Argonne Fire Department, Sierzega’s internal drive proved a natural fit for the culture of continuous improvement promoted by Argonne’s fire chief, Benjamin Duval. 

“Emergency response challenges constantly change along with the science and technology here at the laboratory,” said Duval. ​“That requires a continuous commitment to improving your knowledge of new techniques, new skills and new technologies to safely and effectively respond to emergent situations. Rachell exemplifies how to do that successfully.” 

Sierzega seized the opportunity to grow her hazmat expertise at and through Argonne — eventually becoming hazmat coordinator for the Argonne Fire Department and joining the division hazmat team, which includes surrounding fire departments. All the while, she took classes on emerging response techniques. She conducted relentless research on new technologies for material neutralization and decontamination. And she spent countless hours with stakeholders from every part of the lab — from researchers to engineers to administrators — to understand the nature of all the possible threats and scenarios in play at the laboratory. 

“I saw an opportunity for Argonne to set the highest standards for responding to hazmat incidents,” she recalled. ​“Not just because of the chemicals we work with here, but because of the commitment and the support I found at every level of the organization for improving safety.” 

Putting first responders first 

In her drive to upgrade Argonne’s hazmat response, Sierzega identified one critical best practice that the department’s conventional fire response employed that hazmat did not: a rapid intervention team (RIT). More than just a backup team, the Hazmat RIT’s sole responsibility is to immediately extract and provide medical attention to any responder who becomes unresponsive or injured if the emergency escalates suddenly and/or unexpectedly. (Imagine a hazmat technician in full PPE suffering a heart attack or losing consciousness.) 

So, Sierzega took on the challenge of developing innovative Hazmat RIT procedures and protocols for both the laboratory and the fire service. For hazmat, the RIT response would require more training and structure. This is due to the additional PPE, the possible needs for chemical neutralization or decontamination, and the different types of injuries a hazmat responder could suffer relative to a conventional firefighter. 

Again, Sierzega worked across stakeholder groups within the lab and outside to research existing techniques, technologies and possible best practices. Her efforts produced a program so leading-edge and thorough that it is becoming the standard for many Chicago-area fire departments. Argonne has even copyrighted it. 

Climbing the ladder 

Not surprisingly, Sierzega’s expertise and accomplishments made her a natural candidate for advancement within the department. In 2024, she applied for the position of battalion chief. It is the highest-ranking operational position in the department. ​“Operational” means that the battalion chief still works a regular shift and participates directly in emergency responses (unlike the department chief and its two deputy chiefs) as the manager onsite. 

Sierzega knew that earning the position would not be easy. In fact, she had applied once before without success. Beyond the conventional interview process, applicants had to complete two additional steps. First, they had to give a presentation on new firefighting technologies that were specifically relevant to Argonne’s challenges. Second, they were challenged with a tactical assessment for a theoretical emergency at Argonne. Candidates had to discuss and demonstrate the skills required to successfully manage an emergency unique to Argonne’s environment. This assessment was evaluated not only by Chief Duval but also by outside fire chiefs from neighboring suburbs. 

“As the fire chief, responsibility for everyone’s safety in an emergency response ultimately rests with me, so I have to be 100% confident in the person I put in charge of managing that emergency,” explained Duval. ​“And after Rachell’s extraordinarily detailed technology presentation and her performance on the tactical assessment, I was certain she was the person I could trust the most to handle that responsibility.” 

We all wear blue 

Sierzega’s appointment makes her the first-ever woman to serve as battalion chief at Argonne. While she recognizes the historical significance, Sierzega said she was not motivated by it — but rather by her drive to help build her knowledge and share it to improve the safety of her colleagues. 

“Look, we all wear blue in here,” she said, referring to the fire department uniform color. ​“My only goals are to support our leaders and my team as best I can. And to make sure that everyone on my watch goes home safe at the end of the day.”