Female Firefighters

In celebration of the Women’s Month and Fire Prevention Month, let me share the stories of women who were able to niche their place in firefighting especially the now-familiar all women fire stations.

First, is Molly Williams. She is known to be the first female fighter in the United States. She was a former slave in New York City and became a member of Oceanus Engine Company #11 in about 1815.

Second is the all-female fire station in Surigao City. In 2009, 12 females were trained not just to suppress and prevent fire, but also to perform other duties and responsibilities as medical first responder and rescue-service provider.

Third, is the all-female fire station in Pandacan. In 2022, 15 female officers were reassigned to Pandacan Fire Station to create the all-female team showcasing that women have no trouble traversing through society’s expectations of who gets to wear the fire suits.

Fourth, is the all-women fire station in Cebu City. From its chief to its driver, the fire sub-stations in Pardo, Cebu City is manned by women. They were introduced to the public in October 2022.

Finally, a former Davao Light scholar is now a female firefighter. Leonela joined her husband who is also a firefighter in Cayetano Bangoy Fire Station.

This is to say that women in firefighting is not anymore a novelty as far as the Philippine perspective is concerned. The Bureau of Fire Protection has always been quoted as a place where gender discrimination is not practiced. In 2022, the data shows that women comprise at least 25 percent of the country’s firefighters. This shows that gender equality and women empowerment is healthy and strong in a career which requires for physique because firefighters’ upper body is massively used to perform their task. But as the adage goes, “One does not have to be a man to do the firefighting for what men can do, so can women too.”