Meet Makeda Freeman. Does she look like a firefighter to you?
What do you think of when somebody says the word firefighter? Male? White? Well the London Fire Brigade (LFB) is challenging these stereotypes and reaching out to people who might not have considered firefighting as a career.
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.
During the upcoming recruitment drive the Brigade is focusing on getting more black and minority ethnic women into the role and is showcasing the work already carried out by LFB’s diverse workforce.
Makeda Freeman is a firefighter at Chingford Fire Station and has been with the Brigade for just over a year. She said: “I always wanted to be a firefighter from a very young age but I couldn’t apply because of the height restriction. When the restriction was lifted I thought I’ve got to go for it. I love everything about the job especially getting out into the community and educating people about fire safety.”
She attended one of the Brigade’s recruitment open days three years ago. Makeda added: “This opened my eyes to what the job entailed and I had the opportunity to speak to women from all different backgrounds who I could really relate to.”
Makeda is the face of the campaign and concluded: “When I attend incidents people are still shocked to see a woman firefighter. I hope we can change people’s perceptions and also get more women seeing that this is the career for them.”
Note to editors:
The recruitment campaign runs from Monday 29 September till Friday 3 October. Go to http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/ for more information.
Interviews are available on request
Members of the media can obtain further information from the press office on:
telephone number: 020 8536 5922
email: press@london-fire.gov.uk
