Essay On Being A Firefighter

I am a woman. I am a firefighter. Oftentimes it feels like those two statements were never meant to be said together, but I say them proudly. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve had to smile politely or laugh awkwardly when a stranger hurled a cliché in my direction, I’d be quite wealthy. It’s not easy being a firefighter. It’s definitely not easy being a female firefighter; however, being a woman in the fire service is rewarding despite its challenges. Among the challenges, it is my experience that women are not universally accepted as part of the fire service. A firefighter is typically characterized by courage, strength, and brotherhood; however, those same characteristics are not typical when describing a woman. Female firefighters, although not so uncommon today, do not fit neatly into the brotherhood. In fact, I have had to endure quite a bit of heckling, hazing, and derogatory remarks from both my coworkers and the public. I’ve had my boots filled with shaving cream, my locker taped shut, and insulting memes taped inside the locker room. My two favorite remarks from the public are “They let women drive those big trucks?” and “They sent a girl? Where are the big strong men?” This was actually said to me upon arriving at a scene to help a man back into his bed from the floor. I then felt I had to …show more content…
Being a firefighter, regardless of gender, is something to be proud of; but there is something about being a female firefighter that is empowering. Kids see me driving a fire engine through town and their eyes light up as they tug on their parents’ clothing while saying things like “wow, a girl fireman!” It makes me feel good to know I have a positive effect on others. I feel a deep sense of satisfaction in helping others in their darkest hour and being their sense of calm during a tragedy. Public service is a calling and I have accepted it with open arms despite the hurdles I