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
Permalink Reply by ~CED~ on February 22, 2008 at 12:10pm
You are right... you need all the above. Think of it like the fire triangle, you have to have "heart", "technique" and "physical ability". Without any one of them you would fail as a firefighter. So to say physical ability is not everything you are right but without it you have nothing. It's not about being man or woman, it's about able to do the job. Iv'e never disputed the fact that there are women out ther who can do the job. The problem is that the government wants soooo bad to see women in every workforce that they are lowering the standards to apply at most large cities to get larger numbers of women which in turn lets in sub par men also which in turn hurts the whole department. There are facts to back it up. Again.... if the governments says women should be part of any organization they want, then let them try out for the SEAL team. I think they know the answer already. Deep down so do you...
Permalink Reply by ~CED~ on February 22, 2008 at 12:33pm
I know your mom told you when you were a kid "little Pablo, you can be anything you want to be. Just put all your heart in it and it will come true." I was told the same thing. I really wanted to be a NASA astrophysicist but figured out I wasn't cut out for it. The LODD stats are filled with guys like you that think just because I want too, I can. Picture yourself a pretty drag racing car with a big 5000 hp motor and pretty graphics, but you have no tires to be able to put the power to the road. You sit and spin your wheels. You just keep on chatting with the girls and telling everyone you are a firefigher and ride our coat tails.
WHATEVER I THINK IT'S TRUE THEY ARE BOTH MEN AND WOMEN THAT CAN'T HANLDLE IT. U KEEP TALKING ABOUT SEALS WHY DON'T YOU GO GET A SET AND GO JOIN THEM SINCE YOU THINK YOU'RE ALL THAT. GEE I WONDER HOW FAR YOU WOULD MAKE IT. THERE IS NO 'I' IN TEAM. JUST SAY THAT THEY ARE BOTH MEN AND WOMEN WHO SHOULDN'T BE OUT THERE.LOOK I AM PARAMEDIC I AM 4'10 AND WEIGH 156 LBS I HAVE NO PROBLEM DOING MY JOB. U ASK ANY OF THE GUYS WHO THEY WOUL RATHER LIFT WITH AND I GURANTEE IT WOULD BE ME. I AM VERY PROUD OF MY JOB. AND I KNOW I DO IT WELL. I DO TAKE CARE OF MY SELF I DO WORK OUT CAUSE I KNOW I NEED THE UPPER BODY STENGTH. I KNOW A LOT WOMAN WHO ARE FIREFIGHTERS AND CAN RUN CIRCLES AROUND SOME OF THE MEN. BOTTOM LINE WE'RE ALL OUT HERE TO DO A JOB, AND IT SHOULD NOT MATTER WETHER THEY ARE MAN OR WOMEN.
Permalink Reply by Paula on February 22, 2008 at 12:52pm
There are 4 wemom in our dept, with me being one of them. The only problem I have is that, I'm very active getting all the training possible, going to any classes that I can fit into my scedule, and helping with the fundraising. But the others don't show up for 6 to 8 months, for training or anything, and only show if we have a working structure fire. This makes most of us extremly uncomfortable, but unfortuntally the chief won't do anything about it. on the other hand all the guys treat me like one of the guys. I know no matter what they have my back. Believe me, I know that I have to work a bit harder than some men, but in the end its worth it, Getting to do something that you love.
Permalink Reply by james on February 22, 2008 at 12:55pm
hello , i'm all for it if women wanna be in firefighting! i've seen some women fight fire and would be PROUD to call them my fellow firefighter and i'd have their back anyday as i know they would mine. more power to the ladys who wanna fight the beast! i'll stand beside ya anytime. after all the code is "you go we both go"! fire_fighter137
Permalink Reply by ~CED~ on February 22, 2008 at 12:58pm
I wasn't disputing the fact that you are not a good paramedic. I am sure you are. But I thought the question was, are women good firefighters? Obviously it is not a matter of gender and more a matter of physical structure and fitness. Our fire department also acts as first responders to provide medical before the medics arrive and most of the medics we have are female. We get along fine. They don't want my job and I don' t want theirs. I also worked side by side with a female for 5 years, she admitted that she could not do everything that most men could do. It didn't mean that we didn't take care of her or watch out for her but is it fair that the rest of out crew had to pick up her slack just because she wanted to be a firefighter like her dad? Administration won't do anything about in fear of lawsuits of discrimination. Can she really be proud of a career that she knows she is 9 of 10 times the weakest link? The heard is only as strong as the weakest buffalo, male or female.
ok you jacka*& . not only are a dum as a brick and now you Attention spanned is that of a bag of rock. i have been doing this job over ten years as long or long tha you. so cut the "ME BIG BAD FIRE MAN " crap one of these day it will hit you and than you will realize that you really are a HORSE'S A*& and maybe you will change your way of thinking
Permalink Reply by Pete on February 22, 2008 at 1:08pm
i know i see nothing wrong with women in the fire service they can do just as much as the guys. i'm proud to say my wife is a firefighter and our safety officer i know now of my guys has an problems taking orders from her. so yea women has all the right to serve
you know LeAnne Brock it is statements from mr navy seaweed that stir up crap like "career's better then vol, only big men can be real fireman" it is all a load of BS. no one person is better than another and if you havethe hart to do this job than you will. something that jacka*& forgot is tha this job picks the person not the other way around. he is a idiot and probably talks more than he dose. there is not better than a women firefighter my girlfriend is to scared to try so i dont push her but i would love to see heer as a firefighter
you know paula (nice name by the way real easy for me to spell lol) we had a couple of girl join our deprt only for only one reason to find a boyfriend this made it really hard on the one woh wanted really learn and do the job