Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site decwrl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-satan!clayton From: clayton@satan.DEC Newsgroups: net.women Subject: Re: Firefighter's Tests Message-ID: <2968@decwrl.UUCP> Date: Mon, 1-Jul-85 08:37:19 EDT Article-I.D.: decwrl.2968 Posted: Mon Jul 1 08:37:19 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 5-Jul-85 03:05:45 EDT Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP Organization: DEC Engineering Network Lines: 16 The Fire Department in my college town once tried to recruit me. Being 6' and fairly large build they figured I had a chance of passing the physical tests (but I would have miserably failed the eye test). They had NO WOMEN in the department and were actively trying to recruit some (I assumed for AA reasons). Anyway, the test for men and women was the same and very difficult. One of the hardest was the 'carrying test', you had to lift a large, heavy (around 75 pounds, I think) object to a minimum height of 4' and carry it X yards. This was to show competency at rescuing people. Sounded like a damn good idea to me. Through the grape vine I also heard that the department was very sexist, and that was the main reason they were unable to get women, NOT because of the test (although that was undoubtedly a large factor too). Elizabeth A. Clayton decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-satan!clayton