HOUSTON – Dana Brown says she has spent her entire career proving people wrong.
"I'm 5'1 and 115 pounds. I'm not built to be a fireman. I'm not built to be an aviator. I just decided I was going to go for it,” Brown said.
She’s worked for the Houston Fire Department since 1998, and has climbed the ranks from firefighter to driver and finally to captain at HFD’s hazardous materials station.
Brown knew since college that she didn’t want to spend her career sitting behind a desk.
"One day someone said the fire department is hiring. And I felt compelled," she said.
And Brown has spent her time saving countless lives. She refers to her job as a firefighter as surprisingly intimate -- meeting people in dire times of need and doing whatever she can to help them through it.
"People dial 911 on their absolute worst day .... and you get to go into their home, and you get to make it better."
But simply clocking in and out wasn’t enough for Brown, who continued her education to become a master instructor for the International Association of Fire Fighters, teaching hazmat courses and studying up on how to prepare for domestic terrorism -- learning about everything from explosives to nuclear and biological weapons.
"(Hazmat) is like the fire department's version of CSI. We have gadgets, and toys, and the terrorism side of it really interested me."
"I decided to join the National Guard. I want to serve my country. I was working on a Ph. D. in homeland security -- I felt this is going to be it. This is really going to satisfy my need to give back to the community."
So at 32 years old, Brown completed basic training and then flight school. In 2011, she became a rotary-wing pilot for the Texas Army National Guard.
She had never flown a plane or studied aviation before, but was ready for the challenge.
"I'm evidence that average can do anything if you just don't quit."
Now Brown tries to motivate others to follow their dreams -- no matter how big, or who says it cannot be done.