Bajan Fire Fighters Blog

The Barbados Association of Guidance Counselors (BAGC) annual National Career Showcase was held at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus during the past two days. The event gave thousands of secondary school students the opportunity to examine some of their options for potential careers. This year marked the 10th edition of the annual showcase and personnel from the Barbados Fire Service were once again in attendance and happy to interact with students. The students were exposed to the different aspects of a fire service career and had the opportunity to try on firefighting gear and also ask questions regarding the requirements to enlist in the fire department. The 2015 showcase was put on by the BAGC in conjunction with UWI and welcomed students from 22 secondary schools. We extend heartfelt thanks to President of the Barbados Association of Guidance Counselors, Janice Jemmott for the invitation to participate.

It was the same story, just a new location. Firefighters and officers had been fired, suspended and demoted because of allegations that they had consensual sex on the job. The female firefighter involved, the only woman on that particular department, had been fired. A 17 year veteran officer had also been terminated. Two others had been suspended or demoted. When male and female firefighters engage in sex on duty, clearly there is a problem. Such behavior is unprofessional and inappropriate, and can result in poor job performance, among other bad outcomes. In the case mentioned above, the relationships came to light in part because of delayed responses to emergency calls. Such incidents make most female firefighters cringe. The idea that women in the fire station would lead to out-of-control sexual activity was one of the dire outcomes predicted by those who opposed women in the fire service altogether. When such incidents make the news, those predictions are reinforced, and women as a...