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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
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
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Christopher Cavanaugh on
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There are firefighters, most are men, some are women. A firefighter is obligated to keep in shape, stay strong, keep sharp with skills, keep learning. To me it makes no difference if the firefighter is a man or woman, is 25 or 55. Keeping up with our obligations is what is important.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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Art: By punctuation, did you mean put a big PERIOD to end the discussion? Could we be so lucky? Naaah.... looking more like a semicolon.
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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Reading the banter with Jacob has been the most entertaining thing I've read in ages! Keep up the good work Jacob... :)
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Permalink Reply by Spanner 122 on
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You know, that is an honest opinion and I sometimes feel with threads like this not all are being honest, or at least those with the same opinion (although maybe in a different tone) simply choose not to reply. There is no way that on this entire site there is only one man who thinks women do not belong.
I respect you for your response and can understand, in an old fashioned sense, what you mean. But, being a woman, of course I respectfully disagree. Can you disagree with an opinion.
Anyway, speaking of being special.... What was the most common word being yelled on the warfield during WWII? It was Mom. Yes, women are special, but we've come a long way from aprons and hair rollers.
Of course the comment is going to be taken the wrong way, and I guarantee if this is your opinion and you ended up working with a woman (it doesn't sound like you don't have respect for them, but maybe a little of the "pedestal syndrome") you would see that the differences on the fire ground are few.
I'm sure you have now taken cover, since I had 52 new emails from this site, I'm going to guess they are all from this thread.
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I was watching something on tv the other day along these lines. Likely a movie, but after the long shift, the little bits of shows you watch here and there tend to run together. The arguement about putting women in harm's way ensued (on tv) and the best arguement I have ever heard was the rebuttel... "So you are saying a woman's life is more valuable than a man's? You're saying it's okay to lose some men by putting them in harm's way, but we cannot afford to lose any women?" It was a good arguement and of course ended in a politically... "I can't afford to lose the votes," but the basis was good... is my life really more valuable than yours? Interesting, eh?
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My Dad was a Staff Sergeant and said the best officer he ever worked with was a woman. She was not the best female officer, she was the best officer. He never had a problem working with women, although he was always open minded and even though he was raised in a tiny town on a farm, he still was brought up to realize that we all have special capabilities, not putting them to good use is a waste. Even us ladies have more capabilities than raising the family and waiting for hubby at the door.
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The woman's got a point.... if you are going to state your opinion, you have to have the balls and the experience to back it up. I am guessing Siren, that this is a young man, based on the opinions of the father being passed down, the grammar and the inability to handle an online discussion. Just my thoughts though.
No offense Jacob, but my opinion is, you have a lot of growing up to do. There is a whole real world out there, if you haven't been living in your family's bomb shelter for the past 30 years, so lift your head up and take a look around.
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Permalink Reply by Lyn on
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ok, I am going to answer this as I am pretty new to FFN and haven't read the previous articles. To start, the penis comment is funny,lol. Does it offend me? No.
We don't have separate bunkers, we do have separate bathrooms, but being I am the only female, it really doesn't matter, plus, the shower is in the mens bathroom, so we do have to share.
As for being able to do my job, yes. No favors this way, I had to earn my position, the right way, hard work and be able to do everything they are able to do. I must say, if your going to do this job, then know what your getting into and stop whining.
My guys are everything to me,they are my family, my brothers, etc. I also have 3 teenage sons, so to be around males all day doesn't bother me in the slightest. Actually, when off duty, we often get together for football games, family gathering etc. I cut up just like I was one of the guys, I mean, come on, we're stuck with each other more so then we are with our own families most of the time.
As far as sexual harassment goes, I don't nor ever had that problem either. And no, I'm not big, fat and ugly, so don't try throwing that one in as to why I have not been sexually harassed at work. lol.(yes, get this, I actually have a since of humor, odd isn't it?lol)
Ladies, lighten up, you walk into a tough job predominately of males,don't expect favors because of your sex, that alone is beating a dead horse. If I have a female fire fighter,rescuer, or EMS worker, I fully expect her to be able to perform her job the same as everyone else, no exceptions because of your "sex".As far as your "periods" go, don't come in to work and tell me you have the cramps and unable to perform your duties, if it becomes a problem and prevents you from performing your duties on a regular bases, then seek medical help, the men shouldn't have to pull your weight because your having periods.Everyone feels under the weather periodically, but don't use nature constantly for your excuse not to be able to pull your weight. I treat everyone the same,regardless of your sex, period.(haha, had to throw that last period in,lol)
I must also add, I have NEVER had trouble out of the guys about taking "orders"(btw, I don't like using that term) from me. For one, I do not put up an attitude like I'm the big dog, I have a job to do, as do they. I respect them, their positions and the same is returned. I am not an uptight Lieutenant, I laugh and cut up right along with them, but when we are called, were all serious for lives are at stake.Matter of fact, I am constantly getting transfer requests to my stations, because I do care about my guys and their safety and it shows.
Point of the whole subject is this. Ladies, stop with the pity parties! If you cannot perform your job duties fully, get into another field! It is NOT fair to have these men take up your "slack" because YOU chose to go in this field. They have a job to do, and they can't do their job if they have to do yours! Stop trying to get "attention" due to your sex as well! This game is played far to often and it really pisses the rest of us FF ladies off as it does offend us and makes our job tougher when it comes to the public. I personally have never had a problem with the public or their "comments", in fact, I get the same amount of gratitude as the rest of the guys.Then again, I'm not looking for "attention". And sexual harassment issues are not any more of an issue at a firehouse/ems station etc then it is in any other career path. Actually, its far less, when you consider the male/female ratio to other careers. Just makes me sick when ladies keep up the "im a woman" issue. If you work there, trust me, they know if your a lady or not. STOP trying to make a point and making a tough job more like home knitting courses, its not and NEVER will be, face it, you want to do the job,then pull your weight, train, lift weights and do it,and stop the whining... period!
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Permalink Reply by James on
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I totally agree with Hutcherson! When I got certified in Ohio for firefighterII, we had a girl in my class who played rugby and was just one tough SOB! But, she couldnt finish the Combat Challenge to save her life! She took 15 minutes and still wasnt done... That isnt good.... on the flip side, many of the guys couldnt do it either... So, there are a lot of women who are not physically strong enough to do the job and there are ALSO a lot of men who cant do the job due to how physically demanding out job is! I think it's wonderful that women are getting out and showing that men arent the only tough ones! Keep up the good work ladies and show all the egotistical pigs that you can do whatever you want!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Women bikers are just way too cool.
If they were firefighters, too; well, just be glad that I'm already spoken for.
Yes, honey; I'll have food there in a second. I'm talking fire tactics with my buddy!
We'll chat more later.
Art
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Permalink Reply by ~CED~ on
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The problem I see is the fact that the physical tests to apply to most fire departments have been made easier to allow more women be able to complete it. By doing so you also allow men that shouldn't be firefighters make it through also. It's pretty simple... not everyone is cut out to be a firefighter, set the bar high and whoever makes it makes it.
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Permalink Reply by Jacob on
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To all the people I argued with. I hardly slept last night I fealt so bad about fighting with all of you . I would really like to especially say sorry to FIRE SIREN=. All you firefighters are my favorite people on this Earth . Please could I add you all on to my friends ?
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