Women Firefighters Strength Under Fire

By Michele Ice

Women have been represented in fire service for almost 200 years. However, firefighting remains a male dominated field. The United States currently has over 6,200 full-time female career firefighters, representing about 6% of the firefighting community. In the Cherokee County and in north Fulton departments, women make up about 3% of the firefighter population. There are over 22 female firefighters in the area. What draws these women together is their love for the job of firefighting, emergency medical care, and their commitment to serve others. When people call 911 for emergencies, they dont care what gender or ethnicity the responding firefighter is; they just want highly trained firefighters and emergency medical technicians to respond.

Firefighting requires extraordinary physical and mental strength along with a passion to save lives. But, firefighting is not just about strength; it also requires a very special mindset that includes compassion for people and a love of the job of firefighting. From a physical standpoint, of course, men and women are different. Men typically have stronger upper body strength, but women adapt and use their lower bodies to compensate for this difference. Whether its dragging a 180-lb. victim from a burning house or carrying a chain saw up on a roof, these women find the strength and grit to get the job done. Women do have to work harder to stay strong. They must continuously work on cardio, strength training, and flexibility both on and off duty to be the best they can be for the citizens of their communities.

All firefighters must complete and pass a yearly physical agility test (PAT) to remain on the trucks. The test consists of eleven stations that measure the candidates ability to perform tasks in a given amount of time. Regardless of whether the candidate is male or female, it is a very physically demanding test. All firefighters are held to the same standards. This is also the same test that new hires must pass. So, no matter if you have been on the job for 25 years or two years, you are still held to the same standards.

Recently, two female firefighters from Cherokee County Fire completed the F.L.A.M.E.S. program in Chatsworth, GA. This rigorous, 48-hour course is designed to test a firefighters personal limitations when working in high stress situations with a limited recuperation period. 260 Firefighters have successfully completed this course with only six women passing. Thats a huge milestone for these firefighters.

Female firefighters not only respond to fires, they also rescue people from car wrecks, provide emergency medical care, respond to hazardous material spills, inspect buildings, provide fire safety education to the community, investigate arson, complete housework, wash the trucks, provide maintenance on their fire equipment, and many other tasks. These women work 24-hr. shifts away from their loved ones. In the last 25 years, fire stations are finally being built to provide separate sleeping quarters, separate bathrooms, etc. Better fitting uniforms and firefighter gear are also being provided for the female firefighters. One firefighter said, The hardest thing at the station is adjusting to the snoring in the bunk room. She said she places a fan by her bed and tries to go to sleep before the others do.

Women firefighters dont want to be treated differently; they just want to be respected.  Sometimes, when they are moved to a new station or get a new station officer, they feel they must reprove themselves to their fellow male firefighters. The most frequently asked question is, Would you be able to carry me out of a burning building? Firefighting is a team effort; rescue cannot be done alone. Dekalb County Fire recently rescued eight children from a third-story apartment fire. This was a team effort. One of the first firefighters climbing up the ladder to get the children was a female captain. That parent didnt care if that firefighter was male or female, he was just glad they were there to help save his babies.

Because of the low pay, increased health risks, and increased number of emergency medical calls, America is facing a serious firefighter shortage. Recruitment for firefighters is at an all-time high. Every department in the state of Georgia is hiring. Hiring qualified women is even more difficult. Candidates must be honest, dependable, a quick learner, and physically fit. The candidate must also function well as a team member as well as communicate and listen well.

Cherokee County and north Fulton County have the best of the best female firefighters, and these women keep excelling as they continue their training. In addition to improving our communities, they are also making these outstanding fire departments even better.