"Don't Underestimate Me for My Height"—147cm Tallest Female Firefighter Makes Guinness World Records

Fighting Fires at 147.32 cm Tall
Small Stature Becomes an Advantage in Tight Spaces

Standing at 147.32 cm, Autumn Kelso may be small in stature for an adult woman, but she is a firefighter who boldly charges into blazing fires to save lives. She has been listed in the Guinness World Records as the world’s shortest female firefighter.

Autumn Kelso (center) and her colleagues. Guinness World Records website

According to Guinness World Records on September 23 (local time), Kelso has worked as a firefighter in St. Pete Beach, Florida, United States for five years. She not only drives the fire truck to the scene, operates fire hoses, and enters burning buildings, but also handles rescue and suppression work herself.

Kelso’s journey toward the world record began by chance. One of her colleagues was browsing Guinness World Records when they realized Kelso could potentially qualify for the record of ‘the shortest female firefighter in the world.’ After official measurements and verification procedures, she became the record holder.

Autumn Kelso demonstrating with a fire hose. Guinness World Records website

Kelso said, “I worked as an office employee into my twenties, but I realized that working in an office didn’t suit me, so I changed my career path to become a firefighter.” Asked about the most rewarding moment in her work, she replied, “It’s being able to help someone who is going through the hardest day of their life.”

Although there were concerns that her height might be an obstacle for field work, Kelso has turned her physique into an advantage. Her smaller size allows her to access tight spaces—such as narrow windows or attics—that larger firefighters may have trouble entering.

Autumn Kelso Hanging from a Ladder. Guinness World Records Website

Of course, there are everyday inconveniences. For example, Kelso jokingly said, “Naturally, I can’t reach anything on a high shelf,” but added, “I still get the job done.” To those who hesitate to take on new challenges because of a similar physique, she advised, “Don’t let others define your limits.”

She went on to say, “Being a firefighter is tough for anyone, whether you’re 147 cm or 190 cm tall. Even if there are days when you feel like giving up, perseverance and determination will always be recognized in the end.”

Meanwhile, the world record for the shortest male firefighter is held by Vince Brasco, a firefighter in Florida, United States, who stands at 124 cm tall. While Brasco is short due to a form of dwarfism, Kelso was born with her petite stature without any specific medical or genetic causes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.