Firefighting is just a job for men, right? Ask any one of London Fire Brigade’s growing number of woman firefighters and they will tell you that this stereotype is outdated.
London is now home to nearly 250 women who decided that fighting fires was the career for them, including women who have risen through the ranks into senior roles.
Being a firefighter isn’t just about fighting fires though. Apart from dealing with emergencies from car accidents to chemical spills, today’s firefighters also spend much of their time meeting the community. Preventing fires happening in the first place is far better than putting them out, so visiting schools, businesses and homes is an important part of the job.
Jeanetta Edwin joined the Brigade seven years ago and is currently a firefighter at Forest Hill Fire Station. She decided to apply after visiting a women’s open day: “I’d always thought about being a firefighter but I didn’t apply because I was a single parent and didn’t know if I could relate to a service that, at the time, didn’t have many black firefighters.
“At the age of 33 I decided to apply, and at the open days I was able to meet women firefighters, find out about their experiences and get a feel for the job. I also saw that there were firefighters from many different communities and backgrounds.”
“I see myself as a role model for other black people growing up in the capital. Black or minority ethnic men and women may feel that the fire service isn’t for them, but it is the ideal career for you as it’s all about putting something back into your community.
