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What Are Your Views On Women Firefighters?
How do you see them in the line of fire? What are your opinions and veiws?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by LIMA CHARLY on
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As I had mentioned. The Portuguese female firefighter. They are strong scrappy. I do not see inequality. They give a very special touch at what they do. they fight to be among peers as equals.
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Permalink Reply by Todd on
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Ladders are a great example.
Whereas a 6'4" 250lb man can pretty much grab a roof ladder anywhere except on either end and handle it fairly easy, the 5'7" 145lb female needs to know the balance points, raising techniques, etc.
That said, I know you are doing your usual contrarian shtick and that's fine. Whatever floats your boat.
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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on
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A 6'4" 250lb guy has it all over me and I bet my technique sucks, I just throw the ladder as I need to. On the other hand, if I only knew where the balance point was and the proper technique....come on Todd, really? Either they have the physical strength or they don't, technique is not going to throw that ladder.
And I'm not a contrarian, it's just my opinions differs from yours. Perhaps if you applied the proper technique to your thought process...
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Permalink Reply by Kacie Nicole Malone on
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Women should be on fire departments exspecially when we go on med calls with women patients
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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Women should be on fire departments exspecially when we go on med calls with women patients
Having a female medic or EMT does help in some situations, but I would disagree that the encounters with female patients to be a reason for women to be on a fire dept.
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Permalink Reply by PA Firefighter on
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I only have one female on the department but she does her job as well as most of the males. Gender should not matter, just how you perform.
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Permalink Reply by Vic Silverfish on
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I'll give you some examples:
1) throwing the 30' ladder - I can brute force it, the women need to block it and walk it up, which is safer and better for your back.
2) Forceable entry - when I could fake it with a sledgehammer, they needed to carry and use the rabbit tool. since whoever ran bar needed to carry the rabbit tool anyway, it didn't really matter
3) EMS - just about everything short of hauling a 400#er out of an apartment - the women (once they had some experience) tended to use their heads a bit more.
All of these are generalisations. My ex was a firey, and she was stronger than most of the men. I know guys that can't lift their own weight with someone else helping. It cuts in all directions.
I think we need a rigorous set of relevant physical standards for firefighters. Men and women need to pass the same set of standards. I don't think anyone will disagree with that.
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Permalink Reply by Chris on
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I would not say inadequate, but not as good. This was compared to guys that had been on the department about the same amount of time. And yeah she worked harder, maybe it was just to prove she could do the job.
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John,
You would think. On page 2 I posted about 5 different ffn links on this topic. Most would rather just talk about how very special women are. Actually, it's a very similar attitude to the one about being a volunteer; heart, calling, special, hero, etc.
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Permalink Reply by Richard Armstrong on
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WHAT???? Your opinion differs from everyone else! Really Jack I never noticed that about you! I guess it is true you learn something new everyday.
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Hey no problem use it all you want!! I know a few guys like that myself and tnd to use it around the hall.
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Vic,
Generalizations serve no other purpose than to generalize. All that you said is also true for the smaller, not-as-strong male firefighter. In other words, there are those that possess sufficient physical strength and those that do not and most commonly it is females that tend to lack that strength.
As for forceable entry, the method used is most often determined by a number of variables, such as expediency, door type, equipment at hand. I hate to think that, with a sledge hammer at hand a female firefighter would instead send back for a K-tool or rabbit tool. She has a tool handy, use it. Unless we're now supposed to give females a bit more leeway on the job?
I don't know of any 2 or 3 firefighters that could easily remove a 400lb patient, it's going to call for 5 or six, of either sex all working together.
Women in the fire service is not about gender, it's about ability. And at least in paid departments the CPAT and probie school is going to winnow out those that lack the necessary physical ability.
Any women that can do the job the same as a male counterpart is going to be a competent firefighter. So long as they are there to do the job and not be making some kind of socio-political statement.
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