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MONDAY, MAY 5, 2003

The fire department in the Alaska village of Eniak is staffed by six teenage girls between age 13 and 16. They call themselves the "Dragon Slayers."

The volunteer department got its start several years ago, with fire chief Pete Brown training seven boys and one girl. But the boys either graduated from high school or quit and the girls, in Brown's words, eventually "took over."

The girls -- Michelle, Sophia, Roxanne, Lisa, Sonya, Shigone -- are trained in emergency trauma, basic life support and CPR. They respond to fires, work with elders and have inspired a younger generation of "Lizard Killers" who are poised to take over the department.

Aniak has a population of 572, according to The Anchorage Daily News.

Get the Story:
Teen lifesavers (The Anchorage Daily News 5/4)
Dragon Slayers (The Anchorage Daily News 5/4)