I want to be a Firefighter! ....imma female! THATS RIGHT?

Question

So Im 19 years old 110 pounds pretty d**n athletic and strong! i want to be a firefighter! I already have my EMT-B so yea thats done and i guess ill take Firefighter 1 in the fall. Im going to start volunteer firefightering in my area by summer. so my question i guess is how do u think ill do? and whats your opion on female firefighters?

Answer 1

i say rock on!!!!

of coarse there will be certain restrictions unfortunately

its sad but true

Answer 2

Talk to some firefighters and ask what the physical exam includes.  Doing this will allow you to train for the exam.  Firefighting takes a lot of upper body strength, and that is where women lag behind men.  By doing the right exercises you can build up those muscles.  Go for it.

Answer 3

Can you carry 80 pounds of equipment and walk it for 5 miles?

A man is trapped in a burning building, he weighs 200 pounds, you're alone in the building, and he is disabled.

Do you have the adrenalin to carry him out?

Answer 4

Whatever. I think I saw three on my way to work today. Nothing special.

Answer 5

My city has female firefighters and they do just fine.

The one concern I have is that you might not meet the weight requirements, or be strong enough if you do. (Strength takes muscle mass.) There's some seriously heavy lifting.

Edit: I'm trying to find out more on the CPAT--that's the physical part of the test. Applicants have 10 minutes and 20 seconds to do these tasks:

Ceiling Breach

Forcible Entry

Ladder Raise

Search

Equipment Carry

Hose Drag

Rescue Stair Climb

I'm not finding the weights involved on the website, though.