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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 lutan1 on
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Isn't it almost contradictory that so many males on these forums rave about their support for women in the fire service and yet when you start looking through the photos on peoples profiles they're loaded with comments like, "Looking good babe", "You can come and join our department anyday" and "I never wanted to be a stretcher till now", blah, blah, blah, blah.
Are they women in the fire service that we fully support or are they there as eye candy for some us to drag our knuckles on the ground in front of whislt drooling?
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Sorry, I'm not saying they're not attractive at all, but some of the comments are just plain stupid and place the female in that "box" as an object and not a person. (I know what I'm trying to say, I just don't know how to write it!)
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Permalink Reply by Lee Levesque on
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This is a question that will forever be debated at coffee tables inside fire stations. If I may offer my opinion let me say this, We have become an "all hazards" response service and accordingly we should be best suited to answer all calls for help.
To that end, I am personally 6'6" tall and weigh 290 pounds. I DONT FIT EVERYWHERE! I have had the distinct pleasure of working with female firefighters who are typically shorter, more slender, and in some cases far more intelligent than I am who make exceptional partners for the sole reason that my weakness is their strength and vise versa.
We respond to equal numbers of woman as men, whether it be in auto collisions, structure fires, or EMS calls. It only makes sense that someone of shared gender can get much further in comforting a patient, talking a patient down, or simply being present to protect our own.
For those who cling to the idiotic mantra that "this is a man's job" I think they should be forced to ride a truck full of men to an ob/gyn call and watch how many of them puke, cry, or pass out. In the end it boils down to one question, "How can we provide the best service possile?" The answer to that is quite simply by allowing or proffession to reflect the same genetic make up of those we serve!
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Permalink Reply by Lyn on
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Impressive, very impressive.So true as well,, many of my partners, have gotten ill stomachs from such calls, was quite funny actually. But, all in all, your correct, "allowing or proffession to reflect the same genetic make up of those we serve!"
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Permalink Reply by RICKY BENSON on
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You hit the nail on the head,with the claw side of the hammer.Look at the pics of the women on this site.Are they firefighters or pin-ups?
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Permalink Reply by Nicole on
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Women in the fire service can be a great asset as long as they are in it for the right reason..I have read a few female profiles on here and it really irritates me when asked why they joined the fire service and their response was to see hot men in uniform. Being a firefighter paid or volunteer is a serious commitment. For us ladies who do it because it is what we love to do and we can hold our own GOOD JOB and GOD BLESS
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Permalink Reply by David Johns on
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I missed it all thank the good lord, anyway, we have yet to see a woman pass our physical testing and background check but most firefighters I know want someone who can do the job and works well with others as a team. I also think these guys that want a woman or man to single handedly rescue them have not trained much in rescue or RIT because it is truly about a group effort!
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Permalink Reply by Ed Hancock on
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I don't feel it matters about sex, race, creed or any other elements as long as that person has honor, integerity and can do the job. The final word is; any firefighter that can't do the job drags down every other firefighter. If you can't carry your load, some one else has to and that means sometimes that job does not get done. We can't afford not to take our job seriously and must perform at our maximum, anything less and brothers or sisters die! Everyone goes home safe. Chief Ed Hancock
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Permalink Reply by felix santos on
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Well ,your right saying that,but in my opinion ladies in the unit is not a problem today ,if you can imagine a house wife in your house doing so many things that the husband didn't Women can do the job too but of course they must passed the requirement of being a ff. And i believe the women
touch and their patience. they can help in many ways ...
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Permalink Reply by Heidi Burks on
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I think women can play well in the fire service. I also think that if we choose to be in what is normally considered a "man's" field we shouldn't get our undies in a bunch when off color jokes are shared or when accidental flashings happen. There have been a couple of times on wild land fires where I have walked up on our guys relieving themselves. Let's face it we don't tote porta potty's with the trucks. Stuff happens and you make do and move on.
Personally I wouldn't have to walk on eggshells all the time for fear of offending sensitive people. Folks need to pull up their big girl panties and deal with it, guys included.
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Permalink Reply by Amanda Schmidt on
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Yes, i agree well said!
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Permalink Reply by Band of Brothers pipes and drums on
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This topic again huh... must be a fun one if it keeps coming up.
I've seen 2 seperate worlds of firefighting. I was with the National Park Service in '98 but eventually went with the structure side of things. I started as an EMT so I figured I'd always have a gig someplace as long as I kept my medical background.
As I vollied for a FD that ran ambulance, I saw women on the job. They were vollies too and I'd say, firewise, just 1 or 2 could pull my petite flower (6'4" 240lbs) ass out of a problem. Of course there were also some dudes then I know couldnt do it either. The problem is the girls were "dating" (term used on PG firefighter.com board, not the real term needed) a few of the ff's and including one AC. And while those boys may have been with those ladies they (the 'dating' menfolk) could still do the job of savin me. I couldnt hold it against them. I think we know what Im saying here...
The reason I brought up my short time with NPS is that to fight fires in the woods you have to pass an (pack test) agility test or 'red card'. 3mile hike in 45min with a 45lbs pack on ur back. EVERYONE had to do it. The girls I saw in camp and worked with were definitely capable of doing there job and really wanted to be there. Not as much on the structure/vollunteer world but distinctly noticable in the woodland fire setting. They also didnt date other firefighters either. Maybe a few did but they kept it very quiet. Most were also college educated.
Might wanna take each lady you know at the station on a case by case basis. While few women could haul me out I know some guys couldnt either, Im just a big deal. But most of those guys dont have the ability to hit me with a sexual harrassment charge that would stick either. The ladies do. Not saying that they all play that card but the few who do make it hard for the rest. Id take working the woods with the ladies over almost all the women Ive met on the structure side. They just didnt seem to be there for the job and its a shame.
That may have opened a can of poo for someone and while you are honked at me Im stickin to what Ive seen personally. Ive also seen guys too fat for the job that have no business on the fireground as well. I'll bet you have too. So dont flame me with mail, I'll just tell you to get bent...
BS+KFIYL
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