– I think it’s a bit about what people have heard about the fire profession, that you have to be very big and strong. But it’s fine to be a lady and do this job, says Astrid Hofstad. She is one of the new additions to the Alta Fire and Rescue Corps. Here they have gone from being one female fire constable to four. Figures from the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DSB) show that approximately 11,000 people work with fire and rescue in Norway. Only 700 of these are women. The well-received Alta fire and rescue corps wanted to do something about this. Last autumn, they arranged an information evening aimed directly at women. They wanted to show that what gender you are should have no bearing on whether you can become a fire constable. And this has borne fruit. Now they have increased the proportion of women by as much as 300 percent. – I can say for myself that I have been very well taken care of and met by those who work here, Hofstad says. Old traditions Frank Olav Pettersen is fire chief in Alta. He says that they wanted to clarify what it really means to be a fire constable. – I have the impression that there is a lot of prejudice, as I call it, from ancient times. A good job has been done in the Norwegian fire service to recruit more women, but there are still too few. That is the opinion of fire chief in Alta, Frank Olav Pettersen. Photo: Trond Odin Myhre Johansen / news Elisabeth S. Aarsæther, director of DSB, says that there have traditionally been, and are, too few women in the Norwegian fire service. – When we are going to recruit for the fire and rescue profession in the time ahead, we must break with some traditions that have made men first and foremost apply for this profession. – And maybe also something with what view we have of who is behind the uniforms. This has been the case in the police profession for many years, for example. But after a diligent effort in this industry, they have now received a change. Despite the low proportion of women in the Norwegian fire service, there has actually been a slight increase in recent years. Elisabeth S. Aarsæther, director of DSB, hopes that in the future it will be seen that the share rises further. Photo: Benedicte Goa Ludvigsen / news Believes in increased proportion of women Aarsæther says that DSB is responsible for the regulations and standards that apply to these professions. Among other things, she has been in contact with the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority, which makes standards for smoke divers. Here they will look at whether there is anything in the regulations that means that so far there have been too few women who have chosen these professions. In addition, she says that the fire chiefs around Norway must take great responsibility in their corps. – They must make sure that there is nothing in the environment, or the recruitment or in the words we use that makes it almost only men who choose this profession, says Aarsæther. Aarsæther believes that the moves they are making now will show that the numbers are going up. – Anything else is not acceptable. Astrid Hofstad has this encouragement for women who want to try their hand at the profession. – Go ahead. Search. It is not dangerous. The worst that can happen is not being able to do it (jour.anm: the physical requirements). But then you have at least tried. It is the first day on the job for Astrid Hofstad, who has been received by colleagues Frank Olav Pettersen (left) and Jim Daniel Pettersen (center). Photo: Trond Odin Myhre Johansen / news
ttn-69
More women become fire constables in Alta – news Troms and Finnmark
