Part-time women firefighters buck national trend (status: Press release)

OXFORDSHIRE County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service has the highest proportion of female retained firefighters in the country, according to the latest available figures.
The figures, from March 2007, show women accounted for seven per cent (25 out of 332) of the total retained workforce – almost twice the national average of 3.6 per cent.

Thame fire station currently has three female firefighter, including recent recruits, Alison Haigh and Vickie Whitney, along with old-hand, Kirsten Purnell.

The Fire and Rescue service has stepped up its efforts to increase diversity as part of its recruitment drive in recent years, aiming to attract more women and people from minority ethnic groups across the county.

And with women currently accounting for 15 per cent of prospective recruits taking the basic retained firefighter courses, the upward trend looks set to continue.

Further work

Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety Judith Heathcoat said: “This really is excellent news and demonstrates that the messages we are taking to communities across Oxfordshire are taking effect.
“But we will not rest on our laurels and will continue to encourage those who have not traditionally been attracted to a career in the Fire and Rescue service to come forward.”

In line with other parts of the UK, the proportion of full-time female firefighters in Oxfordshire is significantly lower, at 2.06 per cent, owing in part to the slower turn-over of staff in full-time positions.

Chief Fire Officer John Parry said: “Although perceptions are changing and stereotypes have been challenged, there is clearly further work to be done.
“The figures show we are ahead of the game and while we are obviously delighted by this, we will continue our efforts to appeal to as wide a cross-section of society in Oxfordshire as possible.”

Photo: Thame firefighter Kirsten Purnell, from Tiddington