This past week I had the opportunity to attend a screening of "Taking the Heat: The First Women Firefighters of New York City." The TV program was produced by the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Independent Lens and will debut nationally on most PBS channels at 10 p.m. EST, March 28. Check out the PBS Web site for times and channels in your area.

"Taking the Heat" is the story of those who fought to become the first women firefighters in FDNY in the late 1970s. The program interviews several FDNY women firefighters but focuses on Capt. Brenda Berkman, a law student and marathon runner. Berkman graduated in the first group of women to join FDNY, but harassment, lawsuits and even death threats continued in the firehouses. In the program, Brenda, Rochelle, Patricia, Cecilia and other FDNY women firefighters relate their stories in matter-of-fact tones that reveal hardened memories.

While government laws forced FDNY to open its testing to women, the majority of the department did everything possible to block their becoming firefighters. While there was sporadic support for the women, it was overshadowed by fear of backlash from the opponents.

As with most PBS programs, "Taking the Heat" is very well done. It was interesting to watch clips of the old news reports and protests against women joining the fire service. "Lives will be lost," predicted one newscaster, while firefighters and their wives marched in the streets to protest women in the firehouses. Through it all, the women firefighters fought each day to do the job of saving lives in the community as well as saving their own. One woman related how she headed for a burning building and discovered her SCBA tank had been emptied. Should she go in and "tough it out," or stand outside and appear afraid or inept?

Every day and in every occupation, control freaks use discrimination and harassing comments to manipulate and discourage people. Most can rise above it, but for others it's one more brick in the load.

When my younger daughter became an "altar server" at our church, my brother, a former altar boy, went nuts: "Girls can't be altar boys!" When she played baseball, he did it again: "Girls can't play baseball!" All that changed, however, when his daughter turned out to be a great pitcher and worked at a golf course.

I wonder how those who protested women firefighters would have reacted if their daughters wanted to become airline pilots, soldiers or work in some other traditionally male job? What advice would they have given their daughters to handle harassment or threats from the guys on the job?

I hope the daughters and granddaughters of the people who protested and harassed women firefighters — back in the '70s or today — watch "Taking the Heat" on March 28. American heroes should not be limited by color, sex, religion or politics.

Reader Responses

Guts
I read your recent article on "Taking the Heat." As a volunteer firefighter and officer in Dutchess County, N.Y., I am happy to tell you that my experience has been that we "vollies," at least here in East Fishkill, are more open-minded, or perhaps it would be better described as less closed-minded. We accept people based upon what we believe they can contribute. We see people's strengths and capabilities and help them build upon them. If someone has the guts to do this kind of work, then guts is enough.

1st Lt. Christian Werner
East Fishkill (N.Y.) Fire District

Question
I read your article. I found it very interesting. I do have a question. In your article, you had the sentence, "American heroes should not be limited by color, sex, religion or politics." I interpret this article to be centered upon female firefighters. Therefore, I interpret your statement to be centered upon female firefighters. I agree, but, I wonder if you should have used the word 'firefighters' rather than 'heroes.' Your earlier article suggests that you do not believe that all firefighters are heroes. Therefore it seems logical that all female firefighters are also not heroes. I understand that our backgrounds/upbringings are incongruent. If I have misunderstood you, please let me know.

Chief Trevor S. Wortes, LP
Geronimo Village Volunteer Fire Department

Wilmoth replies: You raise a good point! I did mean that American "heroes" should not be limited — but I meant by color, race, gender, religion and so forth … or politics. I did center the article on female firefighters, but tried to expand that to mean ANY qualified individual has a right to work and be paid fairly for their work.

My Mom always said (and I've repeated like a parrot to my girls), "Life is not fair." In the context of my editorial, "American firefighters should not be limited …" would have been a more correct wording.