Institutional Barriers

There are many obstacles that women face when being involved in fire and other emergency services. I want to take a look specifically into the actual institutional barriers that set women back in the fire service. Obstacles that women have no control over and are not set up with women in mind; meaning that these different regulations and other “codes” are not established with thought about catering to women.

Many fire stations across the United States are not built to accommodate women. Sleeping areas, bathing areas, changing areas, and restrooms are many times built for one sex and women are forced to deal with the situations handed to them. You would think that this would not be still happening in this day and age but it is. Especially because most fire departments are government funded and they above all should be providing a good work environment for all of its employees.

There are many other institutional barriers against women in the fire services. For example, there are inadequate policies against reproductive safety and fire fighter pregnancy, and also lack of information about safety and risks with fire fighting affecting pregnancy. Also, the way in which hair and grooming policies are set up based on male tendencies and not accommodating for women. Bunking gear and all other equipment issued to fire fighters are made to fit men and not fitting for women to wear; which also could lead to safety issues. A lack of child care options for female fire fighters is also another issue as they work 24 hour shifts and finding child care is difficult for that kind of a schedule.

These are issues and obstacles that women face all of the time in this line of work and they are not necessary. It is ridiculous that women still face these barriers within their workplace in present time, and especially considering that most of these departments are publicly funded; meaning that if the government is not taking the proper actions in providing for their employees, then who will.

Introduction

Women have faced much scrutiny being involved with fire departments and other emergency services for decades. It has been said that women are not able to perform the same duties as males and they just are not cut out for these services. These opinions are wrong. Also women face tough times when trying to get promoted through the fire department as this has been a male dominated field of work for quite some time.
Trying to get and to a fire department, regardless of sex, is a difficult thing. On top of that, being a woman has set another obstacle in the hiring process. An article published by Cornell's Institute for Women and Work stated that less than 4 percent of the nation's fire fighters are female and that over half of the nation's fire departments have never even hired a female worker. This is an alarming statistic. Even harder then trying to be hired on a fire department as a woman, is trying to be hired as a woman of color.
This issue has importance to me because I personally come from a family of fire fighters and it is an issue that I would like to see get the attention that it deserves. With all of the human rights and equality that we strive for as Americans, this is an issue that needs attention and can hopefully see change. I am a firm believer in women rights especially in this field because women are qualified and it would bring change that has been long needed for this profession.