Maria Zimmerman Elected President of Enders Fire Company
Story and photo by Cathy Kuehner
As the John H. Enders Fire Company & Rescue Squad begins its 125th year of serving the Clarke County community, it does so with its first-ever female president. Maria Zimmerman was sworn in during Enders’ annual banquet in mid-January.
The company is composed of “operational” staff — the firefighters and EMTs who respond to calls — and “administrative” staff who manage finances, building-related issues, and organize community events. J.C. Blaylock is the chief of operational staff.
Zimmerman has long been both an operational and administrative member. “I’ve been a firefighter-EMT and secretary for years, so I have insight into all that’s required to be president.”
Regarding the “first-ever female” qualifier in front of her new title, she said, “I’ve never felt my gender was relevant to my work at Enders. All that matters here are your qualifications and your ability to serve.”
She laughs when she recalls her career path, and credits her first jobs in theatre with developing the skills that serve her well now. “Stage managing has always been my role, and drama is part of working in a firehouse.”
Zimmerman earned a bachelor’s degree in drama from the University of Virginia in 1990. After a few years of working in theatre, she wanted a more fulfilling career.
“I set my sights on becoming a physician assistant,” she said. “Initially, fire and rescue was a means to an end. I needed medical experience to be admitted to PA school, so I went to Northern Virginia Community College and earned my EMT certificate. Then, I went to my local fire department and said, ‘Hey, I’m an EMT. Do y’all need any help?’” The reply was a resounding “Yes!”
Zimmerman quickly learned this. “When things are at their worst, firefighters and EMTs are at their best. They are brave, honest, and passionate when it comes to answering the call,” she said. “They are creative and smart, coming up with solutions on the fly. In stressful moments, they are probably being funny to ease the tension. They will literally give their lives to save a stranger. And, I decided I wanted to be one of them.”
Zimmerman rose to the rank of rescue chief at the Arcola Volunteer Fire Department, while earning her physician assistant degree at George Washington University and then working as an emergency room PA.
Along the way, she married Loudoun County firefighter Gerry Boudreau.
The couple and their young daughter moved to Clarke County in 2006. It was a 2008 Thanksgiving Day chimney fire in their home that introduced them to the John H. Enders Fire Company.
Gerry joined Enders in 2008 and, after volunteering for many fundraising events, Maria officially joined as a firefighter-EMT in 2014.
Almost immediately, Zimmerman served as a rescue lieutenant and secretary, one of the few people to work on both the operational and administrative sides of the company at the same time.
“I think that’s what set me up for being president,” she said. “The operational side says, ‘This is what we need,’ and the administrative side says, ‘We’ll figure out how to fund it. We also ask, ‘Will the community support this?’”
To that end, the company’s 10-member Board of Directors is a mix of operational and administrative members, although every Board member is or has been an operational member. As president, Zimmerman will oversee Board meetings and guide decisions about personnel, maintenance, and membership.
“I think one of my talents is knowing each person’s strengths and talents,” she said. “I know everyone here and know who to call.”
Like all fire and rescue companies, Enders is dependent on volunteers. Volunteers to run calls. Volunteers to maintain the building. Volunteers to flip pancakes and barbeque chicken during fundraising events.
In 2024, Enders firefighters and EMTs collectively, responded to 487 fires calls and 1,937 emergency medical services calls.
Anyone who’s ever watched a few episodes of “Chicago Fire” has heard characters talk about how the firehouse is a family. Enders is no different.
“There is a camaraderie in a firehouse you do not find anywhere else,” Zimmerman said. “And, working here is the best possible way to forge a community connection.”
With tears in her eyes, she talked about the day her father died at his Berryville home. “All our ambulances were out on calls. I got on our ‘line chat’ to ask for help. When I reached my Dad’s house, the street was lined with vehicles belonging to Enders volunteers. We didn’t cook for a month. That’s what this company does.”
The John H. Enders Fire Company has been taking care of its community for more than a century. Zimmerman explained that Virginia assigns agency numbers to identify fire and rescue squads; numbers are now into five digits. Enders is number 58, further evidence of its long history.
Berryville Town Council purchased its first horse-drawn hook-and-ladder truck in 1883 to provide some fire-firefighting service in town. John H. Enders, a funeral director and furniture maker, moved to Berryville in 1892, and by 1900 he helped Town Council organize the Berryville Fire Department.
The department’s first piece of motorized fire apparatus was purchased with Enders’ help in 1926, and it was kept at his Main Street funeral home. After “Captain John” Enders died in 1933, the department was renamed John H. Enders Fire Company. In 1935, a proper firehouse was built at 23 East Main Street. In 1958 a four-bay firehouse was built at 9 South Buckmarsh St. — the company’s current home — with additions built in 1963 and 1986.
Zimmerman said she feels she grew up in fire and rescue. “The people I’ve met have been with me through major life events, through the sorrows and joys life brings. They are the first people I call in a crisis, and I’m honored when they call me. They have become my extended family.”
To become an Enders volunteer — in any capacity — go to endersfire.com/volunteer. Zimmerman noted, “Running calls can be stressful. A sense of humor helps.”And, she said, “The best way community members can support Enders is by attending our fundraising events.”
