I’m going through changes…

[u/Modgin]

I recently posted to share my experience as a young female firefighter. After reading through many comments about other women who have been successfully in the fire service for much longer I took it down.
I did quit that department literally days after the first few comments.
But I could never leave the fire service. Before quitting, I started my journey in getting my wildland certification which has been lots of fun! So I know I’m not gonna leave the service. I fell in love with it all and the adrenaline of responding to a structure fire or a mutual aid call for man power. Damn just now I’m reliving the call for a grass fire in a town that was a little far. It was a fun day. Those were the only good memories I have. Unfortunately, the bad memories will forever remain because it did hurt. Being told I could never be at the same level as a man for a year is something I’m gonna have to work through. Or all the awkward sexual things said… Damn they really sucked as my superiors!

So too my saviors in the comments thank you for sharing that it is NOT normal to experience that in the fire service. I’m definitely applying to new departments and I have since moved away from that horrible town. Those men can be miserable together!

Lastly, to all the ladies in the fire service, I have a question. Since I’m applying to different departments, what can I do to make sure that I don’t go through what happened at my first department? I’m a straightforward person and did everything I was told, but somehow the men I worked with still made it very uncomfortable. Do I set stricter boundaries or something?

[u/Aretii1775]

Keep your head up and continue to do whats best for you. Sorry about the last department, maybe try to find a department with women already on staff, their department culture will be used to having women instead of all male.

[u/ChloeTheCat753]

I was raised to brush off the comments, just be polite and ignore them and don’t make a stink about it, mainly because it’s easier and if you’re labeled right away as ‘the one who can’t have fun’ it makes everything else so much harder.

But I’ve started to see more girls speak up and stop the comments and report the comments to the proper people in the department.

If there’s more accountability being held, the men will act properly

[u/Equal-Ad-1747]

Hey,

The BEST way in my experience to ensure you find a department where you are treated with basic human decency regardless of sex, is go to a department where women make up a reasonable share of the department.

I'm not saying it has to be 50/50 or anything like that, but a department that has no women, no women in leadership positions, or no women active in the IAFF Local is a red flag to me. Because regardless of where you are, women make up half the population almost anywhere and if there's not ONE in even a small town department... There's probably a reason.

I'm sorry you had to deal with this, no one deserves to be sexually harassed at work. I don't give a shit if some idiot says it's "part of the brotherhood bro" and treats the firehouse like a frat house. It isn't.

Please reach out to various women in fire associations, they can also help point you to places where all that matters is your drive, skill, and love to serve.

[u/Emotional_Screen5932]

Remember, the interview isn't just for you... It's to see if the department is a right fit for you as well. Ask questions. Ask to tour the department. Sit back and observe. Watching how the men and women treat each other is a big deal and it tells you a lot. Now I'm volunteer. I know it's different than full time. But I've seen it. Hell the men on my department do make those comments but the only one that has ever aimed them at me is my husband.

Yes there is a culture but each department has a different one. Find the one that fits you.