Highlighting Laredo’s first female firefighter

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - A woman from Hebbronville moved to Laredo and planted her roots here. Little did she know that she would pave the way for women aspiring to become firefighters.

For many years, Fire Station 7 off Calton Rd. was Captain Anabelle Venegas' second home. As we take a trip down memory lane with her, it’s easy to see why she calls it that.

While reminiscing about a photo of a 21-year-old Venegas, she mentioned, “Getting ready to do fire pits at that time, I don’t know if that was the time I got stuck. My boots got stuck, and they had to pull me out. My boots were really big; they were size 8.”

Strong, brave and ready to serve a community, “It was very tough, you know, it was draining. Good thing I had good support,” she added.

Venegas’s journey as a trailblazer in the Laredo Fire Department began with an unexpected incident.

Venegas said, “I found out about the fire department because I had a flat tire by station 5 on Barlett, so I needed a part to fix it. I was going to fix the tire myself, but I didn’t have a part, so I went and knocked on their door.“

While the men at the station were helping her with the tire, Venegas felt a spark of curiosity about their job. “I asked if any women worked there, and the captain said no at the time. There was a young man who said there was going to be a test and asked if I’d want to take it.”

Whether it was fate or destiny, her future was written as she attended the fire academy in 1975. However, her time was not easy, noting, “I would tell my sister that I wasn’t going back because the guys were mean. They expected more from me, and I just didn’t want to go back.”

Despite facing numerous challenges, Venegas persevered to become the first female firefighter in Laredo. “I waited a year to be called after passing the test and getting my application.”

It wasn’t until 1981 that she began her duties, adding, “A couple of times at a grass fire, I would see a classmate from my hometown, and they would say, ‘Annabelle, you’re all dirty, what are you doing here?' and I would reply, ‘Yeah, what am I doing here? I should be a teacher.’”

Things did not get any easier for Venegas when she got married to a firefighter and started a family, recalling that it was tough leaving her newborn. “I was crying all the way over here; he was going to stay with someone for 24 hours.”

Throughout her career, she held various roles, including inspector, fire truck driver, arson investigator and finally, Captain of station 7.

“We would go to calls, and people would ask who was in charge, and when they said I was, they would say, ‘Well, we want to talk to the guy; we don’t want to talk to her,‘” Venegas added.

As of 2025, the Laredo Fire Department has six women firefighters, with three attending the fire academy. As for those wanting to go into a male-dominated field, Venegas says to just go for it.

She served in the department for 36 years, retiring in 2012 with the fire in her heart always burning.

Venegas also went to the police academy and took the Border Patrol exam but decided to stick with being a firefighter.

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