Posted on 08/09/2006 12:07:06 PM PDT by flowerplough
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) has changed its hiring requirements to boost the number of people of color and women.
During a press conference at a city firehouse on Monday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the new hiring guidelines. The first step is to reduce the number of college credits it requires of potential recruits from 30 to 15, or six months of work experience.
The FDNY for many years has been criticized for its lack of racial, ethnic and gender diversity in training classes and on the force itself. Critics say this stems from its hiring practices, which have come under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, the New York Daily News reports.
"The changes, along with a stronger recruitment effort, are small steps in the right direction," says Capt. Paul Washington, head of the Vulcan Society, a group representing the FDNY's black firefighters and a frequent critic of the department's hiring practices. "It's encouraging, but there's more to be done."
Wonder how many deaths of civilians AND OTHER FIREMEN this will cause... >>>>
you are right, fireman don't want frail women trying to save them. I know many firefighters who despise the fact that not only do weaker women get on the fire department, it's that the departments force the men to take sensitivity training! The firemen tell the ladies that if something goes down, do not attempt to carry them just go out and get HELP.
Both the citizens and the fire dept. union should be fighting this.
This is the price we pay for quotas.
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