"CAN YOU TAKE THE HEAT?"

Ohio Women Firefighters Plan Event For Women Interested In

Becoming Firefighters

The State Fire Marshal’s Office, along with the ‘Ohio Women Firefighters Committee’ has created a program to increase the number of women firefighters in Ohio. Selected women from across Ohio will have the opportunity to participate in this "Can You Take The Heat?" program. These women will get the chance to experience hand-on what it is like to be a firefighter. The "Can You Take The Heat?" event will take place on Saturday, May 15, 1999 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the State Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg.

"The ‘Can You Take The Heat?’ program was created to help the recruitment and retention of women in the fire service," said Gary C. Suhadolnik, Director of the Ohio Department of Commerce. "Women are an untapped resource fire departments statewide."

The sixteen participating women will don fire gear, extinguish a fire, handle a charged hose, and use the jaws of life. The participants will also have an opportunity to meet and participate in a panel discussion with five veteran women firefighters. They will discuss the concerns and challenges faced by women firefighters. As the participants go through the drills there will be plenty of action that will provide many good photo opportunities.

"While physical fitness is important, firefighting these days is more a matter of technical finesse," said Beth Nevel, Chief for Washington Township Emergency Services in Moscow, Ohio who is heading this event. "The first ‘Can You Take The Heat?’ program proved that women are more than capable of holding their own."

"Can You Take The Heat?" is a spin-off of the State Fire Marshal’s successful "Feel The Heat Day," which was developed to give public officials the opportunity to learn first hand about the challenges faced by firefighters. The inaugural program took place October of last year. Another program has been scheduled for October of this year.

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"CAN YOU TAKE THE HEAT?"

May 15, 1999

Division of State Fire Marshal

8895 East Main Street

Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

8:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m. Welcome & Overview

9:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Personal Protective Gear

9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Search & Rescue

Auto Extrication

Ladder Operations & Techniques

11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Lunch at Ohio Fire Academy

12:00 p.m. -1:30 p.m. Incident Command

Techniques

Hose/Nozzle Operations

1:30 p.m.-3:15 p.m. Fire Attack at Burn Building

3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Panel Discussion

The issues chosen for the panel discussion are:

Firehouse Culture

Family life and children

Facilities and accommodations at the fire house

Strength/physical fitness

Career opportunities and scheduling

After the five topics have been discussed, questions from the audience will be encouraged.

Elizabeth Kohn Stephanie Balochko Blinda Carr Keesha Harris

Michelle Lewis Esther Coly

Christy Nigh EAST SPARTA Trina McCoy

Jodi Smith Deborah Miller Leslie Ross

Jill Siegwardt

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP Juacenta willis

Jill Hounshell

Jennifer Rose Angela Keeran

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