From the ArcaMax Publishing, Health & Fitness Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/healthtips/s-346741-103665
ITHACA, N.Y. (UPI) -- Fewer than 4 percent of U.S. firefighters are
women, despite almost half of female firefighter candidates passing
physical ability tests, a study says.
Co-author Francine Moccio, director of Cornell University's Institute
for Women and Work looked at the percentage of women in comparable
jobs requiring strength and stamina or involving dirty or dangerous
work such as drywall installers, loggers and welders and found women
represented 17 percent of these workers.
However, 51 percent of paid fire departments have never hired a female
firefighter and the New York City Fire Department has fewer than 0.25
percent women firefighters, the study says.
In addition, Moccio and her research team analyzed surveys from 675
firefighters from 114 departments in 48 states and interviewed 175
female firefighters in depth.
The researchers found that women firefighters are simply not being
hired. When women are hired, the study found that 85 percent say that
they were treated differently; 80 percent say they were issued
ill-fitting equipment, 37 percent report that their gender creates
barriers to career advancement; 50 percent feel shunned or socially
isolated; and 37 percent are verbally harassed.
The findings were presented at the International Association of Women
in Fire and Emergency Services meeting, in Phoenix.