Pregnantcy in the fire service

[colfireman]

Hello i would love to chat to anyone regarding your depts policy for when a member becomes pregnant

[Bob Snyder]

We have no written policy on this, but practice in the past has mostly been derived "on the fly" by the women themselves. Generally, upon finding out they were pregnant, they took themselves off attack, ventilation, and duties such as that. By the time they were showing, they stopped running most calls altogether, or showed up in POV on the scene to do only what they felt they could safely do (light go-fer work, rehab, turns on the pump panel). Since most of our female crew are also engineers, they were simply given preference on the driver's seat and the pump panel or ladder controls during the early months. Basically they were temporarily treated the same as older members who act primarily as drivers.

This seems like a reasonable way to handle this situation when it comes up in the future, although we may need to write it down at some point.

[Hammerhead338]

Hi there. In my old volly dept we had a ff become pregnant, at the time the dept didnt have any policys about the subject. She was alowed to make attacks until the doctor said that she needed to stop. Then she would only operate the trucks, she did this untill she started having problems and the doctor said no more. About my paid dept, I realy dont know what the policys are but knowing the city I am sure that its wrote up some where.

Have a good day and be safe.

Joe
Local 3905

[craig7404]

My Dept. is all volunteer and we have no written policy on this but we do have the understanding that when a firefighter becomes PG we as the commanding officers will take the firefighter off fighting fires at first then as they progress will give then a leave and then they may return when their doctor says that they are fit to do their job. They can still attend all meetings and non emergency events and may watch all training.
be safe
Captain Craig Lambert

[smokeygirl]

Once again we have no written policy on being pregnant. Female FF who become pregnant are the judge on what they can and can not do. We become gofers and do tons on light duty. And if we are able to we drive the trucks. Its up to us what we feel that we can do.

It really should be a written policy so everyone get treated equally.

L.Cairns

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We dance where others fear to go.

[Firegal41]

You're exactly right. And that goes for everything else. "So let it be written, so let it be done." And until then, there's nothing that can be done about it.

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~*I am death incarnate But i take no life I am an assassin of killers Yet i excecute no man I am hell's beast to the holocaust I am doom to the destroyer I am Shiva's dreaded bane I am FIREFIGHTER*~

[Firehoney4]

The Fire Service Women of New Jersey have created a guideline that was issued throughout the State. If you would like a copy, please e-mail me your address. I can be contacted at Firehoney4@aol.com.