(Reynoldsburg)--Director of Commerce Donna Owens and State Fire Marshal James McNamee have created a program to increase the number of women firefighters in Ohio. Women from across Ohio recently had the opportunity to take part in the program's inaugural event, "Can You Take the Heat?" at the State Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg.

"We created 'Ohio Women Firefighters' to help in the recruitment and retention of women in the fire service," said Owens, who was also one of the participants in the inaugural event. "Women can be a tremendous asset to fire departments statewide, particularly to volunteer fire departments desperately in need of increased staffing levels."

The first step was to create a committee made up of women firefighters from across Ohio. The committee began meeting in July, and will continue holding regular meetings. They discuss ways of attracting more women into the fire service, and they tackle the issues and challenges faced by women firefighters.

"The fire service can be an extremely rewarding career for a woman," said Beth Nevel, fire chief for Washington Township Emergency Services in Moscow, and chair of the Ohio Women Firefighters Committee. "Serving on a volunteer department is a great way to start. Not only can it provide the building blocks toward a paid position, but the pride that comes from serving one's community is a reward in and of itself."

Chief Nevel also pointed out that the community benefits by targeting women as firefighters. "Volunteer departments in particular are finding it harder to staff services around the clock. By targeting women, we are doubling the pool of candidates." Herself a firefighter since 1967, she dismissed the notion that only men can be firefighters. "There is a myth that firefighting is a man's job. It is simply not true. While physical fitness is a must, firefighting these days is more a matter of technical finesse, and women are more than capable of holding their own." Chief Nevel also noted that the fire service includes more than just firefighting: there are fire inspectors, investigators and educators. There is also a greater need for staffing for emergency medical services, a service that has placed an increasing burden on fire departments.

Ohio Women Firefighters held their inaugural event on October 24, 1998. It was called "Can You Take the Heat?" and it provided women interested in firefighting with the opportunity to experience first hand what it is like to be a firefighter. Numerous women firefighters were on hand as instructors, giving the participants the opportunity to suit up in the official "turnout" gear and self contained breathing apparatus worn by firefighters. Participants performed search and rescue exercises, used the "jaws of life" to perform auto extrications, learned how to operate firehoses, and even conducted firefighting drills against real fires in the Fire Academy's "Burn Building." More than 20 female participants from Toledo, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Medina, Columbus and Granville attended.

The day ended with a panel discussion in which the firefighters and participants discussed issues that most effect women firefighters. The topics covered included: firehouse culture; family life and children; facilities and accommodations at the fire house; strength & physical fitness; and career opportunities and scheduling.

Women interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter are encouraged to call 1-800/FIRELINE, a toll free service provided by Commerce's Division of State Fire Marshal and the National Volunteer Fire Council, that will help put men and women in contact with their local volunteer fire department.

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The Division of State Fire Marshal is part of the Ohio Department of Commerce. The Fire Marshal's Office trains firefighters, enforces the Ohio Fire Code, investigates the cause and origins of fires and explosions, provides fire prevention programs, and performs other services.