What The Hell Is Wrong With The Richmond Fire Department?
Richmond has had seven female firefighters since women were integrated into the fire service in 1995. Seven. Out of 200+ firefighters.
There are currently four female firefighters in this charming little city. None of them are on active duty. Pregnancy? No. Educational leave? No. World travel, entered a convent, got lost in Delta? No.
Try human feces placed in their boots and smeared on their coats and lockers. Try threats to their physical safety, both veiled and overt. Try pornography streamed into their stations via satellite. Try a culture of misogyny, sexual harrassment, human rights abuses and pure hatred.
This is not a case of "the boys' club" not wanting "girls" to enter their fort. This is a case of criminal behaviour by adult men who are sworn to protect their community. What's really horrifying is that many of these men are fathers of daughters, husbands, partners. What is going on behind the closed doors of their homes if they believe this barbarism is appropriate for a public work environment. What are these idiots teaching their sons? And why have they been able to get away with this behaviour for years?
Two of the female firefighters have filed formal complaints; one with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, the other with the B.C. Supreme Court. The other two women are on medical leave, and both have filed harassment grievances with their union.
"Those are terrible optics," says Fire Chief Jim Hancock. Really? Ya think?
It is my most fervent hope that every one of the firefighters found to be guilty of this grotesque behaviour loses his job, his pension, and the respect given to firefighters, most of whom are heroes.
2006....right?
There are currently four female firefighters in this charming little city. None of them are on active duty. Pregnancy? No. Educational leave? No. World travel, entered a convent, got lost in Delta? No.
Try human feces placed in their boots and smeared on their coats and lockers. Try threats to their physical safety, both veiled and overt. Try pornography streamed into their stations via satellite. Try a culture of misogyny, sexual harrassment, human rights abuses and pure hatred.
This is not a case of "the boys' club" not wanting "girls" to enter their fort. This is a case of criminal behaviour by adult men who are sworn to protect their community. What's really horrifying is that many of these men are fathers of daughters, husbands, partners. What is going on behind the closed doors of their homes if they believe this barbarism is appropriate for a public work environment. What are these idiots teaching their sons? And why have they been able to get away with this behaviour for years?
Two of the female firefighters have filed formal complaints; one with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, the other with the B.C. Supreme Court. The other two women are on medical leave, and both have filed harassment grievances with their union.
"Those are terrible optics," says Fire Chief Jim Hancock. Really? Ya think?
It is my most fervent hope that every one of the firefighters found to be guilty of this grotesque behaviour loses his job, his pension, and the respect given to firefighters, most of whom are heroes.
2006....right?
posted by Alphamutt at 6:50 PM
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