Is it unfair to male firefighters for fire departments to give female firefighters special sleeping and bathroom arrangements?

Now that more and more women are entering the fire service, officers are scratching their heads on how to handle new situations that are arising around the firehouse! One fire department decided to give the female firefighters their own room with a locking door and their own bathroom and shower. Another fire department felt that separating male and female firefighters was segregation, so they all sleep in the same room with a curtain for privacy and take turns using the shower. Some male firefighters feel that giving females private rooms and bathrooms is being bias and giving special treatment. I could care less either way, but for those guys use to walking around in their boxers and God forbid naked(we all have that one crazy nudist in our dept), it might pose a problem! Should male and female firefighters be separated in the firehouse?

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Permalink Reply by Jay Nicholson on April 18, 2009 at 2:45pm

It's been 30 years since I was in the military. Although the dorms were not coed, the fire station was. The females used the A/Cs bathroom but slept in the same bunk room as we did.

Permalink Reply by rfdjumper on April 18, 2009 at 3:16pm

I'd be down with private sleeping quarters for each member ( I can't stand snorers either). Unless a new firehouse is being built (I think my departments newest is from the early 70's) Then the resourcefulness of firefighters should be employed. If someone is worried about another member seeing their boobies or seeing a dude's junk; a sheet or curtain to separate the sexes, could be employed. Lock the shower door and any member can shower in privacy. I don't know about you, only my wife sees me without my Hanes on, I like to shower in private, just no 20 minute showers. It's common sense and common consideration.

The one station where we have mixed company, the EMS station, people sleep in mixed company all the time. It's no big deal, and it's all business. Purchasing trailers etc seems like BS and a waste of taxpayer dollars.

Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on April 18, 2009 at 3:18pm

"While you can't always remove bad behavior, you can easily remove the opportunity."

Well put.

We have either private sleeping quarters or bunkrooms with privacy dividers in every station, regardless of the crew's gender mix. We provide seperate male and female restrooms in every station...just like every restaurant, bar, church, movie theater, and WalMart has seperate male and female restrooms.

We also require at least a PT uniform (shorts and t-shirt) for any firefighter in any public area of the station at any time. So far, it seems to work for all concerned.

Permalink Reply by Jake Fireman on April 18, 2009 at 3:30pm

Well said Rob.

"WE" have had to go through ALL of our stations and change all dorms to single living units via partitions etc.

It's not the same as it was, however, it DOES work, and seems to make everyone happy.

It DID cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Cheap...nope

Cheaper then lawsuit....he** yes!

Make people happy....for the most part

As far as taking away the temptation...An old friend of mine used to say this...."Locks were made to keep the honest people honest". True words. I think that partitions were made to keep the other folk from getting into trouble...lol

Permalink Reply by Jake Fireman on April 18, 2009 at 3:54pm

Cannon

I agree with you for the most part, however I think it should read;

"Many grown up firefighters can't keep their comments to themselves in the firehouse, it's just easy to go after others"

and only one gender gets sued for it.

FYI- Believe me I in no way believe that men have no fault in why we need to change the fire houses etc etc etc...

Permalink Reply by Jake Fireman on April 18, 2009 at 4:07pm

I was just "yankin" ya a bit....sorry

I agree with that 100% though...too bad when it goes to far and WE ALL suffer...

Stay Safe

Permalink Reply by Jake Fireman on April 18, 2009 at 4:33pm

LOL oooops I forgot where I was...lol

Stay safe bro

Permalink Reply by Mick Shelley on April 18, 2009 at 5:58pm

WHO REALY CARES, THEY WANTED TO BECOME FIREFIGHTERS SO DEAL WITH IT, THEIR FAMILY TREAT THEM AS FAMILY, SOMETIME WE HAVE TO SHARE THE SAME BEDROOM, AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO USE THE SAME BATHROOM, WHATS THE BIG DEAL

Permalink Reply by A.J. on April 18, 2009 at 6:09pm

I think that it would depend on the place and situation, I have been with several places and teams, this is mostly because I live in different places part of the year. I think that an issue that could be seen is for the male firefighters and 'harassment' in the workplace, personal issues females have that males do not and some females still face an issue with the level of comfort around others with these issues and this could be a reason for that, so each gender would have their own privacy and accommodations.

But here's the half empty - Why should quarters be separate if you are on a team? There has to be a level of trust and a sense of a team & family to do your job effectively when you get a call, right? Why should this be ANY different when it comes to gender specific sleeping quarters?

There was one place that I wad on the volunteer roster when I lived in Virginia, it was only for a short time there but that would be a situation where I would have liked separate quarters if I had to stay there for a length of time. It wasn't that I didn't trust or like the male firefighters, it was the fact that when it came to certain female issues, I didn't feel comfortable around them. I trusted them to have my back on a call on the job, but as anything more I didn't have that.

I got no issue being in a co-ed environment in this situation. A lot of my interests and hobbies are in male dominated fields and in that same respect I have learned and can take care of myself and I would figure that if my fellow firefighters really respected me, they would mind their own and allow the privacy when needed for a shower or whatever-as I would do the same in return. If they didn't they would rightfully deserve whatever came to them ya know?

If anything, I think that there should be a separate room for the 'snorer's' or the people who talk in their sleep... I have 2 rug rats of my own so I wake to anything out of the norm, but I hate people who snore cause that is one thing that if I hear it when I wake up to check something or go to the head in the middle of the night, I cannot go back to sleep.

I could go on and on, but I will leave it at this for now...

Permalink Reply by Mike on April 18, 2009 at 7:14pm

What about black's and white's?

Permalink Reply by Jake Fireman on April 18, 2009 at 7:21pm

I think WestPhilly 22 was making reference to Shanes comments about males and females being seperated...such as should blacks and whites be sepereated as well....Maybe Christians and jews...and for sure keep those Muslims away

Permalink Reply by John Rulli Jr. on April 18, 2009 at 7:25pm