Officers female comments

[FFCadet16]

I am the only female cadet in the department, and I haven't gotten any dislike from any of the officers or firefighters. I am not on the department were I live. Due to past history of the firefighters and their treatment of female firefighters. The department that I am on and the department where I live have a little anmisity between each other. I was at my other job and I was talking with a senor officer from my towns department and he started to bash my department and small problem that occurred. So I informed him of the his departments problem with treating female firefighters with dignity and respect. He then proceeded to tell me that women belong in the kitchen and home making babies, and that he trained his firefighters to think the same way. I would like to tell females to please don't work for the Mokena Fire dept. in Illinois.

[NCRSQ751]

People like that exist everywhere. The fact that this person is in the position he is in makes it worse. Just do your job at your department and do your best to ignore him.

If his department is that close to you there is always that possibility you will end up on a mutual aid call with them so make sure that your chain of command is aware of that conversation you had with him. This will ensure that they are aware of his treatment of females and hopefully it will allow them to head off any bad treatment of you or other females that end up on scene.

Unfortunately I'll have to say get used to it, this won't be the last time you see this behavior. What you DON'T have to do is accept it. Treat it as it is, pure ignorance.

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Susan Bednar
Forsyth Rescue Squad (Captain)
NCTF-1
Griffith Volunteer FD

[wrongWAY]

Captain Bednar gives sound advice. I'd just like to add that you should NEVER let any knucklehead bait you into a controversal conversation where your comments can be blown out of proportion or distorted.

[Nik]

I would second Captain Bednar's suggestion. Those comments and thoughts of those who believe women shouldn't have anything to do with the fire service are out there, but interestingly enough, there are those who end up changing their mind.

When I first joined, I worked from 7 am until 2 am the next morning on a fire dept fundraiser and one of the "old-timers" said to me, "You know, you've got my vote."

Work hard, play hard, don't let them get you down.