The last 'boys' own' club?

The times of rural fire-fighters in southern states is rapidly changing. Mixing with the beards, deep voices and muscles is perfume, softer hair and smaller work boots as women take their rightful place alongside men.

But not in Queensland.

Elsewhere in the world fire-fighting agencies are actively encouraging women to become active fire-fighters and have developed specific policies, strategies and standards to recruit and keep women.

But not in Queensland.

It is women’s properties, homes, children households, livestock, pets, jobs, livelihood, personal effects, as much as men’s that are at risk. So why are they treated so dismissively by Queensland Rural Fire Service? And not only by the men they are trying to take their rightful place beside, but by the hierarchy, who, while paying lip-service to the proposition of gender equity, are doing far too little to ensure its introduction.

In other areas of the world figures of women’s active fire-fighting participation can be quite high. In some areas of India and Africa, for example, it is up to 100 per cent, while some parts of Europe have between 60 per cent to 80 per cent, and parts of USA and Britain have about 50 per cent. Southern states of Australia have around 30 per cent. Many of these areas actively work to influence equity in these services.

But not in Queensland.

What is the rate in the Sunshine State? Statistical indicators show an overall rate of 13.33 per cent of active female fire-fighters. Further, it appears Queensland is not demonstrating any practical interest in building on these numbers, which explains the lack of research.

Research from other agencies indicate that as the population changes and laws are set in place to prevent discrimination, in practice limitations still apply in a way that should be causing alarm in Queensland. For example, some men in the Queensland Rural Fire Service have stated openly that they will not work with women. Nor train with them. Yet nothing has been done to address this anachronistic attitude. Complaints fall on deaf ears.

During World War II women made up the majority of fire-fighters and brigades in all states, including Queensland, and discharged their duties efficiently and competently. They did this with almost no training. The moment the war ended however the women were ousted back to the home. Sixty two years later has seen no forward movement in the matter of gender equity in Queensland.

Despite having voted in a woman as Premier, women, while clearly demonstrating an equal ability are nevertheless prevented from taking equal part in life. The Premier has broken the glass ceiling here, but it remains to be seen whether government agencies will pay more than lip service to encourage and employ strategies to attract efficient and capable women into hierarchies.

At a time when a woman realistically has a good chance to take over the top job in the world as President of the USA, the glass ceiling that holds back women in that country will now shatter. It has been cracking for some time in that and other countries. This country already enjoys almost 50 per cent participation in many areas, including the fire-fighting structures.

Yet still Queensland resists women in so many key areas. Particularly those that are male dominated. This male domination is fighting very hard to retain its supremacy but this is at the expense of services.

Very recently the National Party candidate in Leichhardt - a man named Ian Crossland - stated that the Liberal Party candidate - a woman named Charlie McKillop - would not be able carry out electoral duties in the electorate, based on nothing more than the fact she was a woman. He failed to state any reasons why Ms McKillop could not carry out her duties due to being a woman, so one can be forgiven for thinking it was simply his own prejudices on show.

This follows on from a long list of discriminatory comments in the past, one of which, Bill Heffernan’s, is just another case in point. Talkback radio, which asked for opinions on Crossland’s and Heffernan’s comments, displayed an astonishing lack of outrage, many even suggesting merely that while true, should not have been aired publicly! This seems to be typical of the conservative attitude still endemic in Queensland.

Women, it has been shown anecdotally in the Queensland Rural Fire Service, receive fewer call-outs than men. That is, the boy’s club kicks in and “mates” are called out when fires threaten. Women are often ignored. Even when they are called they will in all probability be asked to make the sandwiches and the coffee. Even women with more training and better-equipped backgrounds in rural occupations and services are ignored in favour of less capable men. Even women who have trained as officers will as often as not, be directed to the “load the rifles” positions rather than the front-line for which they were trained.

Misogyny borne of self-righteous ignorance is not recognised by men who practice it, even when pointed out. And some of the men practicing it the most are in the positions that determine women’s involvement. Their behaviour is not seen by themselves as inappropriate or aberrant so they will defend it to the maximum, often aggressively, as, paradoxically, so do their wives. It appears there are vested interests in maintaining the status quo.

There are too few policies in place in the Rural Fire Service in Queensland to address these problems. Their heads are still in the sand, hoping against hope the problem will simply “go away”. Questions posed to them on what is being done to address this problem take too long to address, if ever.

Anecdotal research is tending to show that while more women join up in an active capacity, the attrition rate is high once women realise they are not going to be given anything that amounts to equal status or opportunities. Women drift away from disappointment more so than from any other reason. It seems misogyny is alive, well and flourishing in Queensland. The powers-that-be in the Rural Fire Service, that could if it wanted to make the changes necessary, seem to be sitting on their hands.

There are no policies in place to attract or keep more women in Queensland Rural Fire Fighting Services. They are certainly not in the public arena. The Service will accept women but not encourage them. All uniforms and boots are made in men’s sizes and often found to be out of proportion for women’s physiques. They are made to fit men’s proportions, i.e. taller, with longer legs, bigger shoulders, smaller hips, longer crotches. Boots are only manufactured in men’s sizes. The smallest men’s size is often still too big for some women.

If women want to take part they have to accept these limitations, despite the fact that the ill-fitting personal protection uniforms can, at best offer little protection, and at worst, be dangerous, and can be used against women to prevent any compensation being paid to them in the event of a mishap. For example, if the boots are far too big and the woman has to resort to supplying her own non-standard boots, she will receive no compensation in the event of an accident, despite the fact that the service failed in its duty of care in providing them.

Headquarters have issued no memos to the brigades on how to recognise and address these anomalies. There are no training sessions taking place where people may be encouraged to think through these issues and to address them reasonably. When questions are asked of the Occupation Health and Safety “experts”, the issue of women being specifically catered for is ignored.

Again the male hierarchy will be found wanting in limiting the type of attitudes that comes through. Inappropriate remarks, deliberately crude “jokes” or comments, or a number of other ways that men can utilise to demean women, are still only too apparent. These are designed to try to make women feel inferior or inadequate to the task. If complaints are made, measures will be taken to sidestep it by making claims that the women are just disgruntled “wannabee men”, or they’re prudes, etc ad infinitum. Really, any excuse will do.

Even when women take their courage in their hands and front up to fire-sheds to offer their services, often the welcome they receive leaves a lot to be desired. The “welcomes” range from dismissive to downright rude. Or they can be simply ignored. Seldom will all, or even most, or even some, of the male fire-fighters in a shed extend a cordial welcome, showing the women around, making them feel a part of the activity, offering tips on how to best do a task and so on. If married to a fire-fighter, a woman may be accepted, but if single, she will be ignored. It may in time come to her attention that the men claim she has only joined in order to find a man!

Given the obvious unwelcome feeling this engenders, some women don’t bother to turn up again. There are no steps being taken to deal with this dismissive and cavalier manner. Yet women as a group are more interested and participatory in voluntarism than men. Yet the disparity continues. Why doesn’t Queensland Rural Fire Service take a more active role in pushing Equity Policies? In demanding that women are given a fairer go?

Women are every bit as efficient as men. They are competent and capable.

In reading through the reports of the fires that caused so much havoc and angst in Canberra, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, the thing that yells at you from the pages is the inefficiency with which most of these fires were managed, and not only from fire-fighters on the ground. Fire-fighters themselves, inadequately trained, misinformed, and struggling with extreme conditions they could not have trained for were virtually powerless in the path of these fires.

As a result of these reports, changes have been implemented nationwide to increase adaptability, but in Queensland they are being met with resistance at some individual fire brigades.

Women seem to be more aware of how these changes will positively affect the outcome for future fires. Women interact more, and are less resistant to change. They are more likely to read reports and, with their increased adaptability brought about by changes they deal with on a daily and long-term basis, are more likely to insist on what they perceive will be the most beneficial course of action. This does not come about by any in-built magic, but from experiential observations leading to increased adaptability. They will bring this to a fire brigade.

Having women actively involved in fire-fighting can only be of benefit to all. So why do Queensland fire-fighters seem to want to exclude women? Is it the last “boys' own club”?

Women may or not behave differently in similar circumstances. But they certainly have more awareness of the problems to be addressed. And women are generally not so concerned about a pecking order. They are more likely to be concerned with the problems confronting them. Which very well may have favourable implications for fighting fires. So why are they being ignored in such numbers in Queensland?