Sunday 8 March is International Women’s Day and is a great opportunity to celebrate the 225 women firefighters who work within London and an opportunity to reach out to people who might not have considered firefighting as a career.
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. Launched in the early 20th century, the day remembers historical struggles and current issues which affect women.
The first woman firefighter in UK joined the London Fire Brigade in 1982. Currently there are 225 women operational firefighters in London and they perform exactly the same role as their male counterparts. Being a firefighter is not just about dealing with emergencies - firefighters also visit schools, businesses and homes, giving out information that saves lives. Making links with the community and getting our messages across is a vital part of the role of today’s firefighter, and the Brigade needs people with a wide range of experiences and skills to succeed.
Cath Homan is a watch manager and has been with the Brigade for six years. She said: “I actually joined the service in 1997 but as a station cook at Battersea Fire Station. Before I worked at the station I had a stereotypical view of firefighters as male and big but I soon realised that they were ordinary people doing an extra-ordinary job.”
Cath was 37 when she became a firefighter and believes it’s a good career for mothers, she continues: “I was a single parent when I joined and because of our shift patterns you can plan child care up to a year in advance. This is a massive help and the support you get also from your colleagues means that it is definitely a job for women.”
