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From: greenber@timeinc.UUCP (Ross M. Greenberg)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Firefighter's Tests
Message-ID: <267@timeinc.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 2-Jul-85 01:52:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: timeinc.267
Posted: Tue Jul  2 01:52:19 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Jun-85 04:49:45 EDT
References: <2555@randvax.UUCP> <4160017@csd2.UUCP> <11337@brl-tgr.ARPA> <1813@amdcad.UUCP>
Reply-To: greenber@timeinc.UUCP (Ross M. Greenberg)
Distribution: net
Organization: Time, Inc. - New York
Lines: 59
Summary: 

In article <1813@amdcad.UUCP> phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai) writes:
>I would like to hear examples of the tests that were only used to discriminate
>against women. The only example I've heard so far, doing pushups, sounds very
>relevant to me. I think it is important for a firefighter to be able to pick
>up someone overcome by smoke and carry them out. Or to use an axe and break
>down a door when searching for victims, etc.
>
> Phil Ngai (408) 749-5720

Okey doke, Phil. Here goes:

A few years ago the firefighters test here in NYC was judged to discriminate
against women. So they changed the test.

The Old Test:

Part of it contained the requirement to pick up a 170 pound dummy, swing
it across your shoulder, walk down three flights of stairs and across
a 100 ft parking lot.

The New Test:

Part of it contained the requirement to *drag* a *120* pound dummy down
*one* flight of stairs and across a *25* ft parking lot.

Makes me feel great that now we have less capable firefighters on the force,
but that some of them are female.  Makes me feel great to weigh in at
about 170 and live on the third floor of a three story walk-up.

At what price equality??

Additionally, for you AA buffs out there, the test in NYC for police was
changed a few years ago also.  It was judged to discriminate against
minorities.  The old standard was that as there were openings in the
ranks selections for these openings were made from the highest grade to the
lowest grade. And, for some reason, minority candidates were getting lower
grades.  I believe that you needed a 75% to pass in any case.

The new selection process is just wonderful: You need only a 65% to
pass. And as there are openings in the police force, a *random drawing*
of those who passed is used to determine NY's Finest.

So now we have a police force that, without regard to minority status,
didn't do as well on their qualifying tests as they had to in the past.
To me that adds up to a less qualified man holding a gun.

Again, at what price equality?

This is not intended as a flame, and please note that I have stayed out of
the AA battle.

-- 
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Ross M. Greenberg  @ Time Inc, New York 
              --------->{ihnp4 | vax135}!timeinc!greenber<---------

I highly doubt that Time Inc. they would make me their spokesperson.