She start crying at a fire

[Elchbulle]

Hi,

I wanna make it short :
We got a call that a fire is in the 8 floor of a building with 14 floors.
As we arrive I and our only female in the department but our breathmask on , mhh no only I . I turn and want to see where she is , and she stays next to the car crying and say " I cant I cant ... Im afraid.."
Mhh but our secondcar arrived seconds later and I get up with a other fighter.
It only was forgeten food on the cooker.
What to do now ?

Björn

P.S.: In germany its a must to go with 2 persons

[Quint1Medic]

You can't very well have a firefighter refusing to do the job, regardless of gender. You should make your chief aware of what happened, if he isn't already.

[NCRSQ751]

I agree. I have seen both men and women lose it in these situations. Anyone that presents that attitude needs more training or to get out of the job. Someone paralyzed by fear, regardless of gender would not be able to get you out if you needed it, and that is the whole purpose of having 2 of you. Make sure the Capt. or training officer is aware of the situation so they can solve the problem one way or another.

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Susan Bednar
Captain - Forsyth Rescue
North Carolina Strike Force 1

[Mr. Freeze]

You say it was only food on a cooker, so I'm thinking you might feel that it was nothing to cry about. I seriously doubt that you could tell it was only food on a cooker from 8 stories below, prior to walking up there to see. Everyone gets scared doing this job. If you don't you either haven't seen the real deal or are lying. Or both. Irrational fear is something that can't happen on the fireground. It sounds to me like you're using the logic that this firefighter cried on the fireground because she is female. That's not cool. I haven't seen guys cry from fear, but I have seen guys that "didn't feel like goin' in there" or "but I can't see". What kind of #$#% is that? But don't say that she cried because she's a girl.

[Michelle Bennett]

I agree with my colleagues to a certain extent. It does not matter male or female, if someone is scared, too scared to enter they need a little more training or to find another line of work, but I am glad she decided to tell you prior to entering the building, no matter if she was crying or otherwise, it could have caused her or someone else grave injury had she gone up. If you believe this woman has the potential to be a good firefighter, help her. Help her in the way you may have needed help when you started out. Everyone deserves the chance to do what they may love, even if it takes them a little longer than the rest of us.

[Elchbulle]

Hey ! First of all I dont have anything against women as FF !
As we got the alert we think the hole appartment is burning. And yes we all are a little bit afraid, but never before my second let me alone !

What your chief does ?
I dont know it exatcly but she dont have to go in after that and I think she dont want.
Now she works outside the fire.

[firemedic28]

i really think it does not make a differnce if she was a female or male or that she even cried...crying is just a way a person shows emotion. I am disappointed that she was too afraid to go in. We are all afraid at times, but we in the fire service are in this thing together...we are a team. We face our fears, then we get our courage. I agree that she needs more training or she does not need to be a firefighter. The same would be true if she were a male instead. I know in my department when we get a structure fire we are so excited that we can barely stand ourselves(but we remember to stay safe.) I hope she finds the right direction for herself and quick...everyone stay safe out there.

[Diane]

I think we are overlooking another issue. Where is the adequate training? Would this person have backed away had they been through live burns prior to this small incident?

[URSULAFORHAN]

Hey, I'm no psycologist, but I think openly crying is a much healthier response to
a situation of fear than saying "I just don't
feel like goin' in today" I think that in the
scenerio Elchbulle presented she may have just been under stress. My question is,had she ever gone into a burning biulding before?

Althea Forhan

[Elchbulle]

Yes , she was but mostly after the fire was under controll.

[firehat87]

Crying is alright, even necessary, heaven knows I do sometimes, but never on a scene. The last thing a resident needs to see is a firefighter crying. It undermines their confidence in the department. And that goes for any incident. I don't want to be pinned in a car and see the guy on the jaws crying! A major influence on a patient's long term prognosis is their mental state in the first hour, in my opinion.

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In Omnia Paratus

[Ladder Man]

Fire her! There is no room for men or women on the job who are afraid to do the job, and refuse orders. There are simply to many people depending on you to do your job.

[This message has been edited by Ladder Man (edited November 09, 2000).]

[ladyfire]

Hi, lady here, Mr. FREEZE said it all!!
EVERYBODY gets scared! peace to all! :-)

[BiancaSancic]

If she can't handle the fire, put her on a desk or in the training division. She can still be an asset to the department without risking the lives of others.

If it was a one time deal, send her to more training to see if she really has the right stuff to fight a fire. We have all been afraid at one point of another. It is my opinion that only idiots feel no fear. The trick to firefighting is how to handle it. Do we let the fear rule us or do we use it to our advantage. A little bit of fear will keep us much more aware of the overall picture in a fire. We are less likely to get tunnel vision and miss the warning signs of life threatening danger.

If fear is overwhelming then it is time to find a new job.

[Firelover]

From what I can see, all of you would be willing to knowingly go in and risk your lives on purpose. My department doesn't force me to climb into the ladder truck if I'm afraid of heights! This is just my opinion, but I wouldn't force anyone to anything, but with a little training, you should be able to guide your trainee throughout anything.

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Joel

If you sent us to HELL, WE'D PUT IT OUT!!

[Elchbulle]

She has moved to a other city and isnt longer in our dep.

EOT