Firefighters, technology and masculinity in the micro-management of disasters

Are fire services ‘extremely gendered’ organizations? Examining the Country Fire Authority (CFA) in Australia

“…It is well established that firefighting, like many aspects of emergency management, is both male dominated and culturally masculinized (e.g., Baigent, 2016;Ericson & Mellstrom, 2016;Eriksen, 2013;Robertson, 1998;Rosell, Miller, & Barber, 1995). In stating this, we recognize that it is possible to have masculinized organizations that contain considerable numbers of women.…”

“…In stating this, we recognize that it is possible to have masculinized organizations that contain considerable numbers of women. In terms of fire servicesand the context of North America, Australia and New Zealand, the UK and much of Europemen significantly outnumber women and, moreover, the fire services themselves are constructed as being fundamentally masculine (Baigent, 2005;Ericson & Mellstrom, 2016;Thurnell-Read & Parker, 2008). In terms of fire servicesand the context of North America, Australia and New Zealand, the UK and much of Europemen significantly outnumber women and, moreover, the fire services themselves are constructed as being fundamentally masculine (Baigent, 2005;Ericson & Mellstrom, 2016;Thurnell-Read & Parker, 2008).…”

“…Notions of masculinity and femininity are not innate or inherently tied to male and female persons, although historically male-dominated organizations are also very likely to be masculinized, and both structurally and symbolically valorize norms of hegemonic masculinity (Connell, 1987(Connell, , 2008. In terms of fire servicesand the context of North America, Australia and New Zealand, the UK and much of Europemen significantly outnumber women and, moreover, the fire services themselves are constructed as being fundamentally masculine (Baigent, 2005;Ericson & Mellstrom, 2016;Thurnell-Read & Parker, 2008). That is, even though fire services are materially dominated by men, they are also culturally and organizationally masculinized (Eriksen, 2013;Poiner, 1990).…”

Reaction to Safety Equipment Technology in the Workplace and Implications: A Study of the Firefighter's Hood

“…In recent years a handful of studies have examined various aspects of the occupation of firefighting, including why individuals (particularly men) become firefighters in spite of the life-threatening hazards faced (Desmond, 2006(Desmond, , 2007(Desmond, , 2011, the ergonomics of wearing firefighter clothing (Park, Kim, Wu, & Allen, 2014), and firefighter-perceived occupational health and safety risks (Walker, 2016). In addition, two other studies have examined the introduction of new technologies to firefighting, and the reactions of firefighters to these technologies (Ericson & Mellström, 2016;Morris, 2015). Ericson and Mellström (2016) examined the association between technology and masculinity, how it informs the "occupational ethos of firefighters" (p. 165), and how operational services' micro-management of disasters is gendered.…”

“…In addition, two other studies have examined the introduction of new technologies to firefighting, and the reactions of firefighters to these technologies (Ericson & Mellström, 2016;Morris, 2015). Ericson and Mellström (2016) examined the association between technology and masculinity, how it informs the "occupational ethos of firefighters" (p. 165), and how operational services' micro-management of disasters is gendered. Drawing from a series of interviews and research studies conducted with firefighters in the Swedish rescue service, their main conclusions discuss the historical celebration of masculinity in firefighting and how it has excluded women from this occupation.…”