Edmonton's fire service sparking interest among women

Jessica LaMer had already graduated from the University of Alberta when the prospect of working in a team drew the self-described "jock of the fine arts" into a career as a firefighter.

That was 26 years ago. She is now a senior fire operations official who, along with individuals like rookie firefighter Natika Pigeon, is working to encourage more women to consider careers with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS).

"Because it's a team job, you have to be strong but you don't have to be the strongest person out there to do the job," LaMer said.

"If you have the passion for it, anyone can be a firefighter."

There are about 1,200 firefighters in Edmonton, of which 12 are women — and that's twice as many as there were five years ago. The Edmonton Fire Fighters Union counts 70 females in its membership, which also includes dispatchers and fire prevention mechanics.

When LaMer speaks about firefighting at schools around the city, she often hears from girls who say they are interested in being firefighters, too.

LaMer and Pigeon, who started her firefighting career this summer, participate in outreach through an EFRS recruitment initiative called Camp Inspire.

The camp, now in its second year, aims to provide women and gender diverse applicants with a safe, inclusive introduction to the occupation and application process.

"We provide simulated fire ground training," said Asha Wrightsell, the department's manager of priority initiatives.

"They get to go through a number of different events and opportunities throughout the weekend that allow them to see what a day in the life of a firefighter could look like."

The city also runs a cadet program for high school students, which offers in-depth learning about different aspects of firefighting. "We do have a few cadets that now have been successful in the firefighter recruitment process," Wrightsell said.

Listen here | Inspiring more women firefighters 

Highly competitive

This year about 20 people attended Camp Inspire, Wrightsell said. Several women who have attended the camp have also gone through the recruitment process.

The process to become a firefighter in Edmonton is extremely competitive, EFRS said in a statement. It includes an aptitude test, panel interview and a physical test that is the same for everyone.

Between 2021 and 2022, there were 1,944 applicants, of which 89 were hired. That included 175 female applicants, of which five were hired.

Hiring is done to refill positions left vacant by retirements or increase the number of firefighters as new facilities are brought into service, the statement added.

Wrightsell said she'd like to see more women applying but noted there isn't a specific goal.

"I think if we can continue to do that type of programming and support women, then we're going to see the results."

Next year, there will be two camps, she said, including a separate camp for Indigenous community members.

Not without challenges 

LaMer and Pigeon say the job is not without its challenges. A key one is the gear.

LaMer said the breathing apparatus sits higher on her body than it does on male firefighters, making it awkward to wear.

"You basically have your head down the whole way," she said. "You can't tilt your head up because your helmet hits the tank and stops you from looking up."

Pigeon noted that while things like bunker and personal protective gear is tailored to each individual, pieces like boots and gloves are based on male size metrics.

The road to firefighting becoming more inclusive has a ways to go, according to Carmen Poulin, a psychology professor at the University of New Brunswick whose research has included interviews with women firefighters from across Canada.

"These things have to be addressed and they have to be addressed in an intelligent, systemic way," Poulin said.

"So that no single woman has to bear the ostracization that she is bringing about expenses that the brigade doesn't have the means to afford."