Firefighting is no longer just the domain of the
male. Just like every other career, trade, or
profession women have made inroads into this
traditionally male territory. Though some women may
be discouraged by the usually male traits required
to become a firefighter there are other
characteristics that make a good firefighter. If you
are not ready to make a full-time commitment to
being a firefighter, you can volunteer to see how it
fits your life.
A good firefighter must be honest and dependable.
Showing up and showing up on time is unisex trait.
If you learn quickly and can remember what you
learned and apply that knowledge under pressure you
are a good candidate to become a firefighter.
Because of the nature of the job, a firefighter must
be in great physical shape and maintain a healthy
lifestyle. Team play is a necessary function of the
firefighter as is respect for co-workers and members
of the public.
Fire Fighters In action!
Good communication skills and common sense are
traits appreciated in a firefighter. You need to be
emotionally stable and a sense of humor is
appreciated in this job as it is in any other.
Flexibility and open-minded is also needed. No one
person can have all of these attributes, and if they
did, as a group their strengths would be redundant
and their weaknesses magnified. Each person, male or
female, can offer some of these traits and
contribute to the team and make it strong.
The hours of work for a firefighter can be irregular
and shift work is always involved. There are very
real risks involved in fighting fires, from
buildings collapsing to the chemicals you are
exposed to as materials burn. There have been
numerous articles in newspapers lately about
firefighters getting cancer more often than ordinary
citizens. Firefighters are required to learn how to
deal with a lot of different types of equipment and
materials to deal with hazardous spills.
Firefighters enjoy the comradeship of their
co-workers and because they spend time in very
dangerous situations they develop lifelong bonds
with their fellow firefighters. In the last few
years we have seen calendars featuring male
firefighters wearing very little and displaying
their very developed bodies for various fund raising
goals. So, even though firefighting is a dangerous
and often life threatening occupation it’s not all
work and no play. Firefighting is a career choice
with a lot of job satisfaction. Putting your life on
the line for others can be very rewarding indeed.
