Women in the fire service(honest opinion)

Hola,
Just wanted to get some honest feed back about how men feel about having women serve as FF. Please be very honest! The reason for this is:
1. I have witnessed society feels women can't do this job- we are to fragile , etc.
2. People think women that work around a bunch of men must be easy or having relations with at least one of the them
3. Sexual harrassment issues arise more often
4. Some men have trouble taking orders from a woman (or vice versa)
These are just a few of the things I have seen or heard about.. Please share y you feel this way

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Permalink Reply by Jacob on February 21, 2008 at 4:55pm

Cool . I was wondering .... Would you teach me some more about the fire and rescue services ?Send me a message on FFN sometime . Cool ?

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Permalink Reply by Mike Walker on February 21, 2008 at 4:58pm

You moved me. I laughed, I cried.......

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Permalink Reply by LeAnne Brock on February 21, 2008 at 5:35pm

I see it this way. I'm only 4'10. I've been a medic for 7 yrs. and when I first started working on a truck. My supervisor was a woman. She looked me in the eye and told me, I would never be a paramedic. She told me she had wanted to be a doctor, but she had a guy to tell her she would never be one. I said first of all you're stupid for letting anyone telling you that u can't be something, that you want. I know when I first went into ems I had two strikes one I was woman, and two I was so little. I did go back a yr later and walked up to her and showed her my medic badge. and just smiled. So what i'm trying to say is you know in your heart what you want to do, just follow your heart.

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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on February 21, 2008 at 10:06pm

Actually the test I have seen has been rigerous for both males and females. Everyone is expected to perform to a certain level, and if you fail, you fail. There are no exceptions, or "gimme" points for being female at all. How long ago did you test?

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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on February 21, 2008 at 10:12pm

I am just wondering what state your from. In all the states I have been to or read up on, Females have been making strides on the EMS front for quite some time. In fact the EMS sector of the fire service has a large quantity of females. I can understand you are 4' 10" tall, but height has very little to do with your job. Keep yourself in shape, build some muscular strength and endurance (and then your height is insignificant) and keep training. You have proven your former boss wrong by obtaining your medic license already. Remember this one last thing.

"Naysayers are always a great source of motivation. Never tell someone with heart and a gritty determination they can't do something, because it will ignite a being that will perservere beyond all wildest expectations." :):)
(wow I can sound smart on occasion..... LOL)

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Permalink Reply by ~CED~ on February 21, 2008 at 10:49pm

I tested 12 years ago. The test we used involved more upper body and heavier weight. We have since started using the CPAT which is much easier. It puts more focus on leg strength than upper body. I understand you need both but I know that at a good working fire I use my upper body more than legs. The test was put together to form a physical test that would allow more women to be able to complete, which it has done just that. Our dept. has had many more women complete the test and they are hired. It has also opened the door for some 120 lbs. guys that we have hired which have no place on our department. If you can not open an 1 3/4 nozzle fully and be able to sweep the stream around a room, you have no place on any fire department. I am by no means picking on women on the job. I have had one at my station and worked side by side with her for 5 years. She knows her limitations and she has no problem stepping out of the way. We get along fine. Around the station she is just one of the guys, on a fire she will try like hell but she is just not able to keep up most of the time. On the other hand, another firefighter at my station weighs about 345 lbs and can hardly put on his airpack. He is just as much or more of a liability. Bottom line, it is a tough job sometimes and it is not for everyone. Pride and wanting to be something you are not will get people killed.

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Permalink Reply by PEDRO.T on February 21, 2008 at 11:06pm

WOMEN FF. I WORK WITH SOME OF THE BEST OF THE BEST THEY PLAY LIKE THE MEN DO LOL LOL WITH FIRE

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Permalink Reply by John Mc. on February 21, 2008 at 11:07pm

I encourage all women to join the fire service. My girlfriend is an EMT and just graduated Salem Fire Academy with her mom and they did more than the guys (mainly the emergency 3 story head first dive onto a ladder, best part of the academy lol). My company has 2 girls and my true bestfriend Lauren is a junior with Janvier and is paid with the NJFFS(NJ Forest Fire Service) and shes the reason im trying to run forest fire and about being fragile, after my first night i was in pain just doing a perscribed burn, she was getting ready to go on 3 more 10 hour burns!

Now everyones saying "OK JOHN WHATS YOUR POINT" lol. My point is if women have the passion to serve, protect, risk their lives i tell them ROCK ON heres your application because 90% of the men i have talked to, trying to convince them to join, called me crazy, yet the women, think its the coolest thing ever and want to hop on the truck the next day, if a man can do it a woman can do it and if they have a passion bring them on board.

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Permalink Reply by Greg Coats on February 21, 2008 at 11:16pm

Me my self i have no problem with women firefighter's just as long as they pull their own weight. But they also have to understand that the fire service in a mostly male job and that some of the thing's that happen at the fire house they might take the wrong way. If you want to be treated as one of the boy's then don't get mad at some of the thing's that are said and talked about .

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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on February 21, 2008 at 11:20pm

I do agree that it takes thick skin to be a firefighter, however there are limits that need to be set. There is a differance between kidding someone and sexual harassment. So long as there are policies in place and enforced to ensure equality in the firehouse things will be fine.

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Permalink Reply by ~CED~ on February 21, 2008 at 11:30pm

"Passion" alone won't save your a$$ when it comes down to it. To say "if a man can do it a woman can do it" is nonsense. On the same token, not every man can do what a Firefighter can. That is why 50% of all LODD's are related to the failure of the body. Some people think they can do the job, when in reallity they are a ticking time bomb and I hope they don't take someone down with them.

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Permalink Reply by SAMANTHA TOMPKINS on February 22, 2008 at 4:01am

I AM A FEMALE FIREFIGHTER. I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH ANY OF THE ABOVE STATEMENTS. WHEN I APPLIED AT MY STATION THE CHEIF ASKED ALL THE MEN AT A MEETING IF ANY HAD A PROBLEM WITH A FEMALE JOINING THE DEPARTMENT. IF ANY FELT THAT THERE WOULD BE ANY DOUBT THAT I COULD RESCUE ANY OF THE MEN IF THE NEED BE. AND IF THEY FELT THAT ME BEING ON THE DEPARTMENT WOULD CALL ANY PROBLEMS. THEY ALL SAID IT WAS FINE. I'VE BEEN ON THE DEPARTMENT 2 YEARS NOW AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH MY DEPARTMENT WITH THE PUBLIC. THE KIDS ALL THINK IT IS COOL THAT I AM ON THE DEPARTMENT. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH ANYOTHER PROBLEMS WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS. IT HAS BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND I AM VERY LUCKY.