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Another one of my dumb questions...

I recently took Firefighter Survival and was the only female in the class. I don't like the whole upside down, slide down the ladder thing. So I had a hard time with it. I actually had one of the "guys" from another dept say to me that he couldn't believe there was a woman in the class.

Now, I train hard and make as many calls as I possibly can. And I am always looking to take more classes to become the best firefighter I can be. But it's garbage like that which makes me NOT want to go and train unless it's with my dept only.

This past Sunday, we were called to another district with our boat for what they said was a scuba accident. Well, it wasn't a scuba accident. It was a 15 y/o boy who drowned. They called us to help with the body recovery. Of course I was the only female who got in a boat and helped. The entire time I was in the water, I got dirty looks from other firefighters and they whispered and made snide remarks.

Here is my dumb question. How can I, as a hard-working female firefighter, make a difference in the views of these guys? Yes I'm a woman in a man's world but I have busted my a** to get where I am. And I can get quite an attitude at times especially when it's garbage like this. I don't make a scene or explode at these people, but I take it home and take it out on my husband which isn't fair to him. How do I say what I need to say without coming un-glued ??

i and several others told you to get in the idiots face and show him he could not get away away with stuff like that which imo there is no place for in life not just the fire service!!!!!!!!! however by completing the course you did show him you are just as good as him

Ditto to what Amy1 said !

 I love to cook. Don't like house work dut I do it anyway. I love flowers and writing poetry. I love camping , rafting and  playing with my kids. I hate viloence but would knock a person on his A**S in a minute over certain subjects. I work in construction now but once worked as a nurse. When I see that kind of sexist attitude I want to say " Beam me up Scotty, there's no Intelligent life here."

Good advice to you all already. For everyone guy out there like that, there are many more who are ok with us females- as long as we truly do hold our own. I am a small woman and I may not be able to lift the heaviest of stuff, heck there are males who can't do it but I hold my own and I get the job done...sometimes the last one standing. So Lady don't let them bottom feeders( not to offend everyone) who are still stuck in the days of females s/b barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen get to you.

Say nothing to these jerks, nor get into their faces.  Just do the job you were trained to do.  Your company and your classmates know how dedicated and hard working your are.  They too will come to respect you as a firefighter in time.  I'm the only active female firefighter in my company, I embrace the fact that I'm a novelty.  Slowly the guys are coming around to the fact that I can haul hose as good or better than they can!

I had been feeling the same way in my fire house. Currently I have been a volunteer for two years and trying like hell to get into the service full time. I used to look around at the faces of the men I work with, wondering what they were thinking. It didn't occur to me they were watching until we all went through the fire academy together. Thats were I was able to show i could complete the same tasks. Now, I don't worry much about what they are thinking, they are just waiting for me to complete our physical agility in time! They want to see me be hired on. I do get the occasional ladies that become volunteers, more like ladies who's hearts are really not into the job aspect of firefighting and that turns my stomach. We have to watch for that as well. See ladies, we all have to admit that regardless of where we work, we have to bring the same elements to the table that the men do. Most are more than willing to help. Thanks to the work and dedication of the men I work with, I was also invited to test for the "big city department" and so far, has been the only female they have been serious about hiring. Thats a huge accomplishment where i am living.

Answer this question truthfully. Can you pull a 200 plus pound fireman out of a burning building in full turn out gear? I know i can. This is why you probably get the dirty looks from other men, because they know you can't. Being a fire fighter is more than getting in a boat or  putting on a band aid.

FireflyEMT says ...

Say nothing to these jerks, nor get into their faces.  Just do the job you were trained to do.  Your company and your classmates know how dedicated and hard working your are.  They too will come to respect you as a firefighter in time.  I'm the only active female firefighter in my company, I embrace the fact that I'm a novelty.  Slowly the guys are coming around to the fact that I can haul hose as good or better than they can!

Well said, FireflyEMT, the only thing I would add, and it has already been said also, is, if the comments become lewd or outright derogatory, act on it!!!!  There is no place in todays fire service for this attitude. As long as a person is mentally and physically capable, their participation is worthy of appreciation.

I'm trying hard right now to recruit some local women into our department, we currently only have one, and she's not too active, but will come when needed and available. I was talking to a girl Sunday, and she asked outright if girls were welcome in our department. Our department has had female members in the past, and does NOTHING to discourage them joining, so maybe part of it is doubt on her part, or lingering ghosts of the " old world " attitudes, either way, we ALL have to work together to get past it. If you keep doing what you're doing these other guys will get past it... if not,  IT IS THEIR LOSS,  not yours. The fact that the guys in your station trust you should be enough for any FF anywhere to trust you...who knows better than them? Keep up the fight, and God Bless You.

sdq says ...

Answer this question truthfully. Can you pull a 200 plus pound fireman out of a burning building in full turn out gear? I know i can. This is why you probably get the dirty looks from other men, because they know you can't. Being a fire fighter is more than getting in a boat or  putting on a band aid.

And to quote another of your posts :

Fire is female because the right man with the right hose can control her. Score one for the guys. ( That was ask a firefighter male vs. female. )

And another quote of yours :

If I do go, I would'nt mind the overtime as long as I am getting paid. Dont care about the free time, just the pay time. I will miss the family, but you can come home every for months for ten days and communicate with the daily.   ( Gee...Seems like all you care about is money and being a jerk to women. That quote was from ask a firefighter; Iraq firefighters. )

Let me tell you something... I busted my ASS to get through the classes I have taken. You are an ignorant, pompus ass !! You have 1 friend on here, no posts but to talk shit to other members, and the posts you DO have are sexist and of a caveman mentality. Since you have the mentality of a caveman, let me put it to you this way...You sure wouldn't be dragging me around by my hair. I'd be dragging YOUR ass by your hair !! You bet your life I could drag a 200 lb person because I have done it ! You might want to re-think comments before you make them and do your homework before talking shit.

I'm not saying I am the toughest firefighter out there but I'll tell you this jackass, DON'T EVER underestimate a woman !!

To the people that matter on here, please excuse my language.

I completely agree with Froogsey and LadyFirefighter08. You can't just assume that a person can't successfully complete a task solely based on their gender. In my explorers program, I am the only girl. When we do PT, I watch guys fall out all around me and guys who are unable to complete the task without quitting. Girls can do a lot more than guys give them credit for, and the sexist comments only make the girls more determined to prove themselves. Gender aside, all firefighters are trained in the same way, so there should be no mistrust between firefighters, male or female, because everyone has been taught the same thing. Girls are joining profession of firefighting, and the guys just need to deal with the fact that girls are just as good, if not better, than them at firefighting.

Lady: We have fire female fire fighters who are more medically minded than fire minded, but we know there strenghts and weaknesses. I personally love to have females on the team for those touchy (no pun intended) situations. While on a factory emergency responce team our captian was a female and i am forever greatful. She encouraged me beyond my own limits. To this day i would have no reservations about any of her commands, tactics, or orders. She was knowledgable, fair and yes very very stern. Bottom line i had all the respect in the world for her as a leader.

I agree Froogsey. Thank you for the post.

i just dont understand how this attitude can still exist-----i had females in my section during my military service and i never thaught for 1 minute that they were lesser people than the males. i knew they would do the job and had my back as i had theirs.  i wonder how the FF's comments would go down with his colleagues at his firehouse if indeed he is a FF and not just some 1 braincelled idiot who is labouring under the notion that he is clever and funny. oh well i await his next burbling with something resembling contempt. to the rest of you firefighters take care and stay safe

i shouldn't LOL that there are still attitudes like that out there, because what i say to my own students is "WHAT CENTURY ARE WE LIVING IN, ANYWAY?"  in my science-oriented community, i guess we tend to be more evolved.  astronomy, archaeology and geology/earth sciences tended to have the coolest women (and they tended to be rather exquisitely beautiful ones as well) gravitate toward those disciplines anyway, which was great.  some "macho" guys only want dumb chicks that they can brag about in the locker room, because they only want to boff them but would rather spend time with their male friends, but i like to hang out with women, preferably intelligent ones.  hey, that's just me.  wow, do i look happy? ;)

but it reminded me, when i read the bit about who can carry a 200-lb. victim out of a scenario, of a 6'1" girlfriend of mine who used to pick 165-pound me up and carry me around, just for fun.  (we were both naked, in case yer interested.)  when we went camping, her feet stuck out of my pup tent.  that sexist should wish he was the son of a woman whose adrenaline allows her to lift a freakin' CAR off her kid...yes, it's become an urban legend, and cars weigh less than they used to, but HUMANS can do an incredible array of things, male or female.  screw all the upper vs. lower body strength...i've always been better at the lower myself, with all the hiking, bicycling and skiing.  our sdq person just needs to meet and discuss issues with more educated people, and LEARN SOMETHING, or just shut up and get out of the trade.  as i also ask my classes, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE???