SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Twin sisters Roseanne Wood-Rautenstrauch and Rachel Wood are inseparable.
“I’m the oldest by one minute,” Wood said.
Since they were kids they would do everything together.
“We were jokesters for sure,” said Wood-Rautenstrauch. “Well, we still are. We like to play jokes on people and if somebody comes up and talks to me like I’m Rachel, I go along with it and act like I’m Rachel.”
They started off on different career paths, but it came as no surprise they wanted to become fire fighters. Wood joined first in 2006, then her sister a few years later.
“I think it’s absolutely amazing. It’s a lot of fun. We have that twin thing going on where we kind of know what the next move is.”
Lt. Rachel Wood, Syracuse Fire Department.
They work at different stations at opposite ends of the city. After all these years, they responded to their first fire together back in January on Mildred Avenue.
“I was there to back her up once we got done on the one floor, went up and backed her up in the attic.”
Lt. Roseanne Wood-Rautenstrauch, Syracuse Fire Department
This connection is not only special because they’re twins, but also because their father, two brothers and sister also served as firefighters. Their grandfather and uncles also served. They’re continuing their family’s long legacy and tradition.
“It’s an honor,” Wood-Rautenstrauch said.
“Yeah, definitely an honor,” Wood explained.
“I can tell you, my dad, to the day that he passed, he would tell everybody, it two of them to take my spot,” Wood-Rautenstrauch shared.
Both sisters are lieutenants. Rachel became the first female Syracuse firefighter assigned to a truck company and Roseanne became the first female assigned to the fire investigation division. Their advice if you also want to serve: “Don’t give up on your dreams,” Wood said.
