2016/04: Women firefighters: should targets be set to foster increased female recruitment into firefighting services?
Introduction to the media issue
Video clip at right:On May 4, 2015, The Young Turks discussed the situation of a female firefighting candidate in New York City who was accepted into the service without having passed the physical test. If you cannot see this clip, it will be because video is blocked by your network. To view the clip, access from home or from a public library, or from another network which allows viewing of video clips.
What they said...
'A reasonable amount of fitness and strength are necessary, but what is really important is an ability to think outside the box, learn quickly and take a very proactive approach to your work'
New South Wales firefighter, Peta Doyle
'Firefighting is a job which demands physical, intellectual and psychological rigour ... of course, we want a fire service that reflects contemporary Australia, but not at the cost of standards and community safety'
Victorian firefighter, Louisa Cannon
The issue at a glance
On March 10, 2016, the United Firefighters' Union (UFU) applied for a Federal Court injunction to stop the Melbourne Fire Brigade's attempt to attract more female recruits.
The Melbourne Fire Brigade (MFB) is seeking to increase the representation of women in its ranks from 3.4 to 5 per cent. This is part of the MFB's diversity strategy which also seeks to extend the range of ethnic groups included within the Brigade.
The UFU has written to the MFB indicating that this diversity strategy breaches the current Operational Staff Agreement as the UFU has not been consulted about it.
Peter Marshall, the secretary of the UFU has stated, 'The MFB wants to lower the standard for new firefighters, and to scrap the "order of merit" which ranks applicants in order of ability.'
Jim Higgins, the chief executive of the MFB has stated, 'We are seeking to increase diversity at MFB because it is proven to improve innovation, problem solving and decision-making and to ensure that we are equipped to deliver the best public safety outcomes for the communities we serve.'