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 Reggie Cervantes on February 18, 2008 at 11:12am

Ive been known to make a sailor blush not just by entering the room but also with my Brooklyn Lingo!

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Permalink Reply by Andrea on February 18, 2008 at 11:17am

Ok i wish i had the time to read all of these posts....but i dont..so hear is what i quickly think, Yeah not all women are strong enough to do this job...just like not all men are strong enough to do this job. And the ones that arn't most of the time dont make it through the academy if anything...b.c boys and girls go through the same training...so the ones who arnt strong enough either dont make it or generally dont try to be a firefighter...that would be like me trying to work on computers when i dont know a damn thing about them lol. I am a women..i way 125 lbs, and i am only 5'5. Yet i was the only person in my class to pull out the 220 lb victim with my mask taped off...all by myself with no lead..in and out of the building in under 7 min. And yeah i carried my classmates down a ladder 4 floors up in full gear..and yeha he weighed 200lbs. So i think i am quilified for the job. More then some..and less then some. And at the end of the day...i love and live for this job just as much as any man. I love working with guys i work with...and i would reach my hand out to help anyone of them...just as they would me...b.c no one can hold up the world on their own...no matter how strong they are...get what im saying. ;)

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Permalink Reply by nita on February 18, 2008 at 9:55pm

It's really hard for me to give a crap about this issue, since I've been a paid FF for 14 years. I go every third day and do my 24 hours just like everyone else there. Some things I'm better at than others and some things others are better at than me. It's hard to believe in 2008 that this is still an issue but, it is, I guess. I've never said this is a job for all women but then again it's not for all men either. I would venture to say not one of my girlfriends would last 10 minutes at my job but mainly they just wouldn't fit in with the guys. I guess I fit in pretty well.....I have, afterall, been elected to serve as union secretary and civil service board representative. I do the job fine but like I was saying it is more about being able to function in a man's world. I am still the only female in my dept. after 14 years...not because they won't hire any more women...it just seems not many women wish to do this job. I have been through alot of the things mentioned above. 1) the fragile thing....that's a crock.....and again I say there aren't that many women who can do this job but the one's that do...aren't fragile...2) I have sex with who I want to and that doesn't have a damn thing to do with how I do my job...3) I probably dish out just as much sexual harassment as I've gotten....I guess I've never had anyone really harass me...I don't consider off color remarks or jokes about sex or one of the guys having a naked picture...sexual harassment...4) I'm a captain now and I have no problem being a captain and my drivers and FF's don't have problems with my authority either....we've talked about it and they say they would rather work under me than half of the other captains (no pun entended LOL)
Anyway....what I have come to know...is....the one's that can't stand us women being there are just plain scared...and the one's that are true men and are there for the right reasons know that being able to do this job can sometimes cross gender lines.

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Permalink Reply by Tschida on February 18, 2008 at 11:41pm

i feel that if a women cen dothe job then let her but dont try to change the test just so a women cen pass...

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Permalink Reply by Ismail on February 19, 2008 at 1:10am

Try having over ten tr. of Firefighting and moving 2 miles from my dept and having to apply with a new co. Who i have worked and traind with for my whole time active and having them not even look at my app. all becouse i am a arab and my name dose not hide it. now it kills me to know i have no choose but to be a un-active firefighter. welcome to small town Pa.

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Permalink Reply by Spanner 122 on February 19, 2008 at 7:46am

Well said Nita.

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Permalink Reply by nita on February 19, 2008 at 9:32am

Thanks Spanner......maybe we should investigate the flip side of this argument....how's this for a new topic? "Men in the fire service (honest opinion)" Cause, honestly about 1/4 of them would probably be better at interior design or cake decorating...LOL
I'm just kidding...honestly

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Permalink Reply by Andrea on February 19, 2008 at 1:00pm

ok..no tests are being changed for women to get through it...I passed every test the guys did...just the same as them...and so did every other female in the service b.c there is no other way. LIke i said...yeah there may be time that i cant do something strength wise on my own...been then there is one of my brothers or sisters there to help me just as i would be there to help them. B.c in this feild no one is alone....we are a family..no weekest links. And yeah nita..i agree lol...i dish out prolly just as much as the guys do..it is all in fun...and if you can't take the talk and the fun and games....then go somewhere and cry about it. Come on...now not saying that there isn't a line that gets crossed..and when that does then take the proper steps to correct that problem of harassment...but make sure you have some tough skin and light humer for this job!

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Permalink Reply by Spanner 122 on February 19, 2008 at 1:25pm

The fact of the matter is, yes we still pass the same tests, but the tests are not the same as they used to be. Where I work the test used to be based on a timed run, V02 max test, max sit ups, push ups, bench press, shoulder press, up and down a ladder set up in what is called the Church raise, blacked out face piece into a tower, grab the dummy and back down, sled drag, and some other tests (can't recall it all). This is what I trained for, and when my physical came around they had changed to the stardardized CPAT test. it was like a walk in the park compared to what it used to be. So, when someone says the tests are easier so women can pass, they are partly right, the tests are easier so more people can pass. Years ago the test knocked out so many people that anyone who passed it had the job regardless of their other less tangible abilities.

I don't agree with saying it's all because of women and minorities, it's because they couldn't man the rigs with the low pass rates from the old tests.

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Permalink Reply by Spanner 122 on February 19, 2008 at 1:28pm

lol.... Just kidding, not really, yes I am, no I'm not... okay, just kidding!! lol!!

Yup, I hear ya'. We were at a 3 alarm highrise fire and got separated from our Capt, we found another crew and as soon as my partner saw who the officer was instead of sticking with them we took the stairs to find our own. Sometimes if you can avoid being with certain people, you have to.. lol.

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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on February 19, 2008 at 3:07pm

I hear you, nita.
Not too many of us John Wayne types left, huh?
Ronald Reagans for that matter.
Liberals sent all the new ones to sensitivity training.
They're easy to spot. They're the ones on the golf course that's always looking for their balls!
God; I crack me up.
You have a great perspective.
TCSS.
Art