The world of female firefighters: Burning gender bias
How easy is it to be a female firefighter in the UK, or how difficult? Reporter Indraja Gugle explores the world of female firefighters on International Women’s Day Sub-editor: Hussein Abdel Fattah
The sight of a smoked up kitchen or sparks around an electric gadget is enough to send us to panic-ville. But there are women out there fighting raging fires several feet high.
It is not a task for the faint-hearted. Traditionally a male-dominated field, the UK is seeing a rise in the number of female firefighters. At 1.7% in 2002, the number has reached to 4.3% in 2012. However, in addition to risking their lives regularly, women in this field face various challenges, simply because they are women.
Lucy Masoud, who holds a degree in politics and has done her Masters