Being a female rookie...

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Permalink Reply by Brittany on January 11, 2009 at 8:34am

Full or part time dept rookie? You clean a lot. You have a lot of added little things that you are expected to do, and it doesn't have anything to do with you being a female. That (unfortunately) is just an observation, not reality... I'm not fortunate enough to be a rookie on a full/part-time dept. Volly dept's don't really have a lot of stuff that is required of them as a probie. Hope this helps!
Brittany

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Permalink Reply by Angie Taylor on January 14, 2009 at 5:23pm

Yeah. Been there done that...and I was a volunteer! My department at the time had a great deal of requirements for rookies, including a pretty serious training schedule. Guess we were the exception to that rule. I took my fair share of cracks and sucked it up. Unfortunately, you're gonna take some crap whether you're male or female. That's the joy of being a rookie. They might dish it out a bit heavier to you because you're a chick...they're trying to see if you can hang. My advice is suck it up for an appropriate amount of time and keep thinking that someday you'll be on the other end of it. Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself, though...or they'll push you around as long as they think they can. The best way to get through this is to be damn good at your job. It's hard to argue with that. :)

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Permalink Reply by Mandi on January 14, 2009 at 5:33pm

I have to agree with the other 2 girls.We've been there.I think,at least at my departments,cleaning is a way of getting to know where things are,and knowing that everything has its place.You'll come to find that once another new member comes along,they'll be doing more and more of the jobs that you are performing now.It's great once you get a few underneath you and you start moving up on the department!good luck girl,and stick with it!
Mandi

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Permalink Reply by Kim #454 on January 15, 2009 at 1:20am

Thanks, ladies. I am a volunteer. I was pretty much considered just a distraction until I actually joined and didn't just participate on the auxiliary. I've seen how they treat the rookie guys, but I'm only the 4th female, and the only one currently active. I don't take any crap, never really have. I don't want to rock the boat so to speak, so I do just suck it up. Our training schedule is pretty intense, but I enjoy myself. I've decided that I am going to learn what I can, as I can, and definitely prove myself. I will keep you updated on my progress. Thanks for your support.

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Permalink Reply by Brittany on January 15, 2009 at 11:30am

You go girl! I'm sure you will learn a lot and prove to any doubters that you can do this job. Please keep us updated, and let us know if there is anything we can do... even be a listening ear if you need to vent! Take care and stay safe,
Brittany

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Permalink Reply by Melinda on January 31, 2009 at 7:30pm

For some reason it is a weird male thing to push the cleaning issue on the rookies but if you find that for any reason it is directed at you because you are a "girl" you need to speak up. It is hard to speak up but I can tell you from experience being the first full time female firefighter in my department there has been times that they punished me for being a "girl". I took it for 6 years before I spoke up. It was really hard. Now because I took it for so long it is taking longer to educate the guys on the fact that they can not treat me differant than they treat the guys. Just because I have a differant point of view on an issue or I do not want to watch or talk about disgusting topics does not mean they can punish me by making me do all the cleaning around the station. Good luck to you.

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Permalink Reply by Heather on February 20, 2009 at 6:34pm

hi! i just saw your post and well i think i can put in imput. I do have some troubles with being a female rook. For your question about the cleaning i hate to say it but it's definatly a little of both. At my house i usually do the same amount as the other probies but sometimes the chief isn't too friendly about the gender difference. Once in a while he'll throw in a comment like "Now that the house is clean how about you cook us some dinner!" Haha, well yeah i just want to hear that they never really give you crap about anything like when i first joined, I'd hate to hear that they call you names like my guys. Well stay safe!

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Permalink Reply by SgaFemaleFirefighter on March 15, 2009 at 9:22am

I have to say it's probably a little of both. Rookies get all the crap work to start with and of course, guys give girls crap anyway. It's one of the perks. Me ,personally, it makes down time fun. I can give just as good as they can. But once you prove yourself, there's nothing that those boys wont back you on. Mine have went after another depts Deputy Chief for saying i needed to get my ass back in the kitchen. If I need help, my guys are the first on scene, so to speak. So stick it out, have fun with it and to coin a phrase... YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Kim #454 on March 23, 2009 at 1:36am

Well, it's been an interesting 6 months, I can tell you that much. Now I know it's because I'm female. I'm being passed up for training and classes, I'm being passed up for gear and a radio. It's all going to the new male rookies. At first I thought it was just me, even though I'm not usually one to feel like I'm being left out. Now I have people who aren't even on the department noticing this. And its all the Chief. Even the other officers are upset about it. I guess I'm going to have to let them sort it out. I'm not going to quit. And he can't make me.

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Permalink Reply by Kayli Borell on April 2, 2009 at 8:51pm

well....i have been a cadet for 1.5 years on our FD. im used to having to roll hoses n cleaning n always having people watch u do stuff. last night i got voted on as a probie (thts what our dept calls it) maybe things will change now tht im a probie but it shldnt matter if ur male OR female we are all brothers n sisters in the brotherhood n we're always lookn out for each other so y cant the brothers help the sisters clean. its not tht hard.

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Permalink Reply by katcraw on April 17, 2009 at 9:07pm

I'm a female rookie on duty right now, and I can tell you that unless NOONE is lifting ANY finger to help with ANYTHING, that it is normal. Expect to clean anything and everything, and keep a "can-do" attitude. You will get subtlely "tested" on things- everything from technique on fire-related activities to basic strength (like knocking you out of the way to do dishes, lol!) Keep your head up and take comfort in knowing you are NOT alone! :)

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Permalink Reply by Cassie on April 17, 2009 at 11:37pm

I, luckily, have not had problems with being female in my volunteer department. Sure, the guys tease me sometimes about being a girl, but I tease them right back. It's never been cruel or unfair humor, just that which comes with the job. I think part of the reason it's worked out for me, is, one, I am not the first girl to join, and two, I don't make a big deal of it. Some women join a male-dominated career and turn it into a feminist movement... I think that makes guys feel threatened or upset.

I spent two weeks as the only female on a 20-man hand crew. Two weeks without hardly ever talking to another female... and the guys, well, they were guys. The jokes were crude and sometimes, almost offensive... but I did my best to accept them for who they were. And I think they respected me for it. I was never treated harshly or "babied" because of my gender.

You just need to judge when you need to stand up and call someone out for mistreating you, and trying to fit in and make your gender difference seem insubstantial.

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