A Washington state firefighter has filed suit against her former department alleging a longstanding pattern of sexual harassment, retaliation, and a workplace culture hostile to women.  

According to the complaint, Sheena Radder served with Whatcom County Fire District No. 7 from 2007 through 2024, rising from volunteer to Acting Captain. She alleges that beginning around 2013 and continuing for more than a decade, she was subjected to ongoing sexual harassment by supervisors and coworkers. The complaint describes conduct that allegedly occurred frequently in the firehouse, quoted here:

• Over the last decade-plus of her employment, from 2013 to 2024, two District Captains spearheaded years of pervasive harassment against Sheena—conduct so relentless that she coped the only way most women do: by trying to forget.
• What she could not forget includes:
• (1) stealing her bra from her private work locker and hanging it in the firehouse;
• (2) repeatedly ogling her while she exercised, including asking her afterwards questions like “Did you see me watching?”;
• (3) following her around the workplace;
• (4) rubbing against her while making sexual sounds like “mmmm”;
• (5) covertly photographing female employees, including Sheena;
• (6) making near-weekly unwelcome, offensive sexual and sexist comments such as “sexual harassment training shows us how to harass better”;
• (7) boasting to Sheena about sexual exploits;
• (8) telling Sheena to “smile more”;
• (9) rating the physical appearance of Sheena and other female employees;
• (10) brushing Sheena’s chest and hair with their fingers;
• (11) telling stories about women orgasming;
• (12) miming masturbation with a firehose;
• (13) falsely representing they “identify as a woman” and then walking into the women’s bathroom; and
• (14) lecherous comments to Sheena, including saying that certain female District interns “smell good.”

The complaint alleges that the conduct occurred openly in common areas and was witnessed by supervisors and members of the department’s leadership. Despite this, Radder claims no meaningful intervention occurred for years.  She claims that when she objected to the conduct, she was threatened with discipline. She also alleges that the department maintained a male-dominated culture, noting that during her tenure there were few female firefighters and no women in leadership roles.  

In 2023, Radder formally reported the alleged harassment. According to the complaint, she was warned by an assistant chief that he would “only…deal with this once” and that she was making “big accusations.”  

Following her report, Radder alleges she was subjected to retaliation, including denial of promotion, reassignment to different stations, removal from Acting Captain shifts, and public accusations that she was “spreading disinformation.”  

The department conducted an investigation that lasted approximately ten months. The complaint states that the investigation ultimately confirmed that two managers engaged in harassing behavior. Despite those findings, Radder alleges that one individual received a temporary restriction from Acting Captain duties before being promoted, while another was allowed to retire with full honors.  

Radder further alleges that she was required to work with a life coach who advised her to “assimilate into the culture” and “be happy,” and that the department treated her as the source of the problem rather than addressing the conduct of others.  

The complaint also references an incident involving a female EMT student who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a coworker, which Radder claims reinforced her concerns about the workplace environment.  

Radder resigned in April 2024 and accepted a position with another fire district. She alleges that the conditions at her former department left her no reasonable alternative but to leave.  

The lawsuit asserts claims for hostile work environment under the Washington Law Against Discrimination, retaliation under both Title VII and state law, and violations of Washington’s Silenced No More Act.  

The plaintiff seeks damages including lost wages, emotional distress, and injunctive relief.