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Ashleigh Lockard

Dr. Holzer

Eng 105

6 April, 2021

Inequalities that Women Firefighters Face: What can be done?

It has been 108 years since the women’s suffrage movement, yet women are still fighting

for equalities. Hasn’t history taught us anything? The first female firefighter served over 200

years ago (Floren), yet the nation's percentage of female firefighters is only 4% (Mccoppin).

What factors contribute to the low percentage? What can be done to raise the percentage? Some

contributing factors include discrimination, harassment in the workplace, and gear not fitting

properly. In spite of these factors, there are still women that show up every day and do their jobs,

no different than men. Nevertheless, society and some departments still have a closed mind about

female firefighters. This paper argues the solutions to these problems include making fire

stations more inclusive and more diverse, having the same physical ability test nationwide, and

providing a safe place for women.

In 1913, thousands of women marched on Pennsylvania Avenue to gain the right to vote.

This march was the start of a movement in the United States for women's rights (National Park

Service). In 1920, the 19th amendment gave women the right to vote (History.com). After World

War II finished, women were sent back home to be housewives again and told not to work. They

were treated as if nothing ever happened. Without the help of these women, the economy during

the war probably would have collapsed. Today there are still ongoing protests for equal rights.

The US Women's National Soccer team is still fighting for equal pay, and there are not enough

elected women in Congress to represent the nation. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, says,
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“Without full equality under the Constitution, women face a devastating wage gap” (qtd. in

Murphy). Equal rights, equal pay, and equal opportunities are what women are constantly

fighting for. There are some laws in place like “Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and New

York State and City Human Rights Laws [which] protect women from gender discrimination in

the workplace” (Shah). Even with laws in place like this one, women are still being passed up for

promotions and are being discriminated against at work because of their gender.

For over 200 years women have been a part of the fire services (Floren), and just like

other women in history, they are constantly fighting for equal opportunities and being

discriminated against. During the 1980s, hiring women became more common. This brought the

requirement rate up. Unfortunately, this brought the growth in discrimination as well.

Discrimination can come in different forms in a firehouse. According to an article by Linda

Willing titled “Firehouse Bedrooms and Bathrooms: The Ongoing Debate,” discrimination can

be in the form of having to use the bathroom up front, as the station does not have separate

locker rooms. Renovating the whole station is too costly, so instead of using the money to

renovate or update the living situations, departments rather save the money and use it elsewhere.

Fire Stations did the bare minimum to separate the locker rooms. They hung up curtains and put

locks on the bathroom door. The department believed that they were not going to invest if there

were only a few women. As the recruitment of female firefighters grew, a few things changed.

There were several lawsuits against departments for unfair treatment due to the facilities function

(Willing). According to Willing, there have been cases where females have gone a long time or

their whole careers without having access to a shower (Willing). This is very dangerous and

unsafe as firefighters can be exposed to dangerous and hazardous materials and not cleaning

properly after a call can led to immediate and long term health problems (Willing). Not having
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separate locker rooms leads to another problem. There was a case where a female firefighter was

denied her transfer requisition to a different station as it was an all-male station. She was told

that there has never been a female at that station, and there were only male locker rooms

(Willing). Females having to use the bathrooms up front and not having a safe place to come

back to is not just discriminating, it is completely wrong and unfair.

Not having a separate bathroom is not the only discrimination female firefighters face;

they also have to deal with harassment. There are two types of harassment. One is quid pro quo

and the other is workplace harassment, which both create a negative work environment. Quid pro

quo “is characterized by the dominant power position occupied by the perpetrator, and hostile

work environment, which involves unwanted behaviour that created a negative work

environment” (Fitzgerald and Hesson-McInnis; MacKinnon qtd. in Yoder and Aniakudo 253).

Workplace harassment can be physical, mental, emotional, or sexual. Many women have

described being called inappropriate names such as, “troublemaker, bitch, bitch whore, witch,

dyke, rebel, load [a dead weight], difficult to work with, intimidating, militant, too spirited, and

outspoken” (Yoder and Aniakudo). An interview was conducted with paramedic Victoria

Ferdinandi from Mobile Life Support Services in New York. When asked about what harassment

she faces, she said, “The biggest comment I usually get is in regards to being able to lift my

patients. Whenever I do lift something that men consider heavy, there's always a comment: “oh

wow you’re strong for a girl.” She goes on to explain, “That irritates me because if I am not able

to lift my own equipment or my own patients, I shouldn’t be doing my job in the first place. So,

I’m not “strong for a girl,” I’m simply just capable of doing my job.” Verbal harassment from

patients and co-workers is one of many problems’ female firefighters face.

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The harassment is more than verbal sometimes. In the fire department firefighters like to

pull pranks. But when pranks cross the line, things need to be discussed. There was an incident

when a woman firefighter’s gear was messed with and caused her serious injury that required

surgery (Yoder and Aniakudo). Other incidents have included: “eggs and syrup in boots,

short-sheeting beds, pails of water balanced precariously on doors and lockers, scattered gear,

bursting into bathrooms and flashing” (Yoder and Aniakudo). In the Houston Fire department,

the men would pee on the walls in the bathrooms and turn the water cold when the women were

showering (Herskovitz). Pranks have gone too far when putting someone's life at risk.

Harassment is only one form discrimination women firefighters receive. There are reports

of women being sexually assaulted, discriminated against the physical ability test, and their

bunker gear not fitting right. When working in male dominated job, it is easy to feel loss,

overwhelmed and a bit frightening for your safety. Jon Herskovitz writes in his article, “U.S.

Sues Houston for Discrimination against Female Firefighters”, that two female fighters were

sexually assaulted, and there were racial and sexual sayings on the wall in bathrooms. “The U.S.:

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2011 sided with the women in determining

that they were subjected to a hostile work environment based on gender,” so the U.S. The

Department of Justice sued the city of Houston (Herskovitz). This caused The Houston Fire

department to “implement policies to prevent sex discrimination” (Herskovitz) for future female

firefighters.

The Chicago Fire Department (CFD) had to change its physical ability test because it

discriminated against female firefighters and paramedics. There were a dozen firefighters and

paramedics, who failed the physical ability test in Chicago because it was all upper body testing.

Females tend to be more bottom heavy than men, as men are more top heavy (Whitten). The
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complaint stated that the test was based more on physical abilities than real firefighter skills. This

test that the CFD gave in 2008 was different from the national Candidate Physical Ability Test

(CPAT) (Glanton). City Hall had to change their test to meet the national standards due to the

lawsuits (Glanton). Brenda Farlow, president of Fires Service Women of Illinois and a fire medic

in Northlake says If departments do not use the national standard test, “it seems they’re trying to

hire a certain type of person and they’re building the requirements around them” (qtd. in

Glanton). Other ways female firefighters have been discriminated against while taking the test is

when the instructor picks and chooses who they pass. There was a case in which a fire chief

stopped the time on the clock for some women as they had connections in the department

(Spielman). Having the same physical ability test nationwide would lessen the discriminatory

lawsuits the department receives.

Another form of discrimination that female firefighters face is having problems with their

bunker gear. Bunker gear, or turnout gear, is the big jackets and pants firefighters wear to protect

themselves from fires. It is a problem when gear is too big or too small. Bunker gear should be

tailored to each individual firefighter. There needs to be women’s sizing as well men’s sizing.

Women firefighters are putting their lives on the line for others, and they need gear that will

protect them.

All these factors contribute to mental health issues, with the constant harassment and

discrimination female firefighters' face, their mental health worsens over time by adding

unnecessary stress. Being a firefighter is the second most stressful job in America (Min).

According to the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA), 52 men and women lost their

lives in the line of duty in the year 2019, and 114 died from suicide that same year. (FBHA).

Suicide is the biggest contributing factor to firefighters’ deaths in both men and women. In the
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past five years, more firefighters have died from suicide than on duty deaths (FBHA). Why is

that? Factors include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and substance

abuse (National Volunteer Fire Council). Adding workplace harassment and discrimination can

lead to suicidal ideations. A simple prank can contribute to a hostile work environment causing

victims to suffer more. According to Stanley et al. in his Journal of Affective Disorders, “women

protective service workers die by suicide at a higher rate than women workers in other

occupational groups.” In 2016, a female fighter from Fairfax County, Virginia took her life due

to the harassment she was facing at work (McCoppin). These factors will only continue to grow

causing female firefighters to suffer more if things do not change.

With all these problems arising in the department, suggestions have been made to try to

make the workplace more inclusive, welcoming, and safe. Female firefighters have suggested

making a safe space for women, like having a separate room built for them. One idea was having

a place where working mothers could breastfeed. Carrie Clark, a firefighter/paramedic in Tucson

Arizona, said that the station she works at could not accommodate her breast pump needs. She

was told she could use one of the captain’s private bedrooms. She mentions “that would be

inappropriate as she would have asked them to leave the room after two hours” (qtd. in.

DaRonco). By having a separate locker room, women are able to have families and still be

accommodated at work. Another reason for having separate locker rooms is for privacy. All

throughout the day female firefighters are on the go. Having a safe space to come back to allows

them to feel comfortable and regenerate for the next call.

Another change that needs to be made is mandating the same physical ability test

nationwide. Women are capable of doing the same tests as men. Tracy Whitten, a

firefighter/paramedic with the Denton (TX) Fire Department said, “I may do something slightly
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different than a man, but I can still do the task, and complete it, in the same amount of time.

Work smarter, not harder” (Whitten). The Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT), created by the

International Association of Fire Fighters union, is used in over 1,000 counties nationwide is the

most fair and realistic firefighter physical test there is (Glanton). The CPAT test includes: stair

climb, house drag, equipment carry, ladder raise and extension, forcible entry, maze search,

victim drag and ceiling breach and pull in 10 minutes and 20sec or less (Northcentral Technical

College). All these exercises are scenarios that firefighters could face responding to a call.

Seconds matter when in a life-or-death situation. This is the test that should be used for all

departments nationwide, not just a few. This allows female firefighters to prepare accordingly.

Having the same test and standards nationwide would limit the testing discrimination women

face, as the test would be equal and no excuses for not completing or failing.

Some reasons why the fire department needs to be more diverse and more inclusive is

that different people can handle situations in different ways. Women tend to be more calming in

high stress situations; this helps the victims feel at ease. Jennifer Taylor, director of the Center

for Firefighter Injury Research and Safety Trends at the university’s Dornsife School of Public

Health said “research also found that male firefighters often viewed their female colleagues as

more skilled at de-escalating tense situations, calming emergency medical patients and assessing

on-the-job risks” (qtd. in. McCoppin). Having a diverse and inclusive workspace allows other

females to think and possibly become a firefighter, this will hopefully raise the national

percentage. In Fairfax County, Virginia, there is a camp called Girls Fire and Rescue Academy,

where 7th-12th grade girls can see what it's like being a firefighter. This allows younger girls to

see someone who looks like them working in a dangerous and male-dominated job. Being in an

inclusive workspace allows for everyone to feel welcome and safe.

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In conclusion women fighters do not want to be treated differently than men. They need

to carry their own weight and show that women firefighters are equal and even better than men

firefighters. Being a firefighter is a stressful and dangerous job as it and adding unnecessary

stress can really hurt one's mental health. Ways to help women firefighters include making them

feel welcome and safe by giving them their own space to shower and change and having gear

that fits them probably so they can do their job safely. Additionally, the harassment at work

needs to stop and when pranks and verbal words have gone too far there needs to be protocols

and actions set in place to prevent them from happening again. When the workspace is inclusive,

then it is a better working environment for all.

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Works Cited

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www.nps.gov/articles/woman-suffrage-procession1913.htm#:~:text=On%20March%203

%2C%201913%2C%20the%20day%20before%20Woodrow,by%20the%20National%20

American%20Woman%20Suffrage%20Association%20%28NAWSA%29.

DaRonco, Darren. “Tucson Fire Paramedic Sues for Lack of Space to Pump Breast Milk.”

FireRescue1, 3 Aug. 2014,

www.firerescue1.com/female-firefighters/articles/tucson-fire-paramedic-sues-for-lack-of-

space-to-pump-breast-milk-pWNKPud2ByiMBBrC/.

Ferdinandi, Victoria. Personal interview. 14 Apr. 2021.

Floren,Terese M. “History of Women in Firefighting.” Women in Fire, 23 Dec. 2016,

www.womeninfire.org/firefighters/history-of-women-in-firefighting/.

Glanton, Dahleen. “Women's Suit Highlights Differences in City, Suburban Firefighter Tests.”

Chicagotribune.com, 5 Sept. 2018,

www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2011-08-17-ct-met-female-firefighter-test-201108

17-story.html.

Herskovitz, Jon. “U.S. Sues Houston for Discrimination against Female Firefighters.” Reuters,

Thomson Reuters, 1 Mar. 2018,

www.reuters.com/article/us-houston-lawsuit-idUSKCN1GD3EC.

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www.history.com/topics/womens-history/19th-amendment-1.

Horvath, Cheryl. “Same Old Story: The Biggest Issues Facing Women Firefighters Today.”

FireRescue1, 29 May 2013,

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www.firerescue1.com/cod-company-officer-development/articles/same-old-story-the-big

gest-issues-facing-women-firefighters-today-VnDu50IR04R8TImt/.

Mccoppin, Robert, et al. “Female Firefighters Still Fight for Equality: 'We're Assumed

Incompetent.” Government Technology State & Local Articles - E.Republic, Chicago

Tribue, 25 Apr. 2018,

www.govtech.com/em/disaster/Female-Firefighter-Still-Fight-for-Equality-Were-assumed

-Incompetent.html.

Min, Sarah. “The 10 Most and Least Stressful Jobs in America.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 28

Aug. 2020, www.cbsnews.com/news/10-most-and-least-stressful-jobs-in-america/.

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ever-have-equal-rights-under-federal-law/5549002002/.

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Eisenberg & Baum, LLP, 17 June 2016,

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r-promotions/.

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%2C%20Victim%20Drag%20and%20Ceiling%20Breach%20and%20Pull.

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253–270. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/BF01664768

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how is emotional harassment different from the others? is that a category of harassment you came
across in the reading?
do some proofreading under the Discriminatory Factors section
"WOmen tend to have a more calming nature" seems out of place there. It's a perception of women that

we can't change, so it's not really a solution

also Women fitting bunker gear could be clearer: "Bunker gear that fits women's bodies

"WOmen tend to have a more calming nature" seems out of place there. It's a perception of women that
we can't change, so it's not really a solution

Younger girls have someone to look up to--could be shorter: Younger girls need women role models