‘Absolutely Insane’: Connecticut Law Would Axe Fitness Requirements for Female Firefighters

Connecticut Democrats have proposed to lower the physical fitness requirements of female firefighters. This is in an effort to make fire departments more efficient. “more diverse.”

A law The Connecticut State Assembly introduced legislation earlier in the month that would allow women to skip the Candidate Physical Ability Test. This is a timed gauntlet used across fire departments throughout the country. The test, which is limited to women, was introduced by the Connecticut State Assembly. 10 To 15 A mere 1% of women pass the test, which requires that candidates complete intense physical tasks while wearing a 50-pound vest. It’s designed to simulate the experience of navigating a fire in heavy gear—and to weed out those unable to do so.

The law was introduced by five Democratic lawmakers and would provide women with an alternative test, based upon “revised physical standards,” This is to ensure that “additional female candidates” Text from the bill to apply for firefighter positions

Some firefighters, including women who have risen the ranks of their department without any workarounds, fear that the bill will spark a merit-based hiring frenzy and possibly endanger Connecticut residents. “If you can’t handle a 50 pound vest, you’re not going to be able to rescue a child from a burning building,” Leah DiNapoli was a retired firefighter from New Haven (Conn).

“A citizen in need of rescue doesn’t care if a firefighter is white, black, Hispanic, male, or female,” Frank Ricci, a former firefighter and president of the New Haven firefighters union, said: “They care that they can do the job. This attempt to socially engineer public safety positions will only serve to endanger the public.”

Contrary to the military, where uniforms are different for each gender, firefighters all wear the same gear. weighs at least 59 pounds—9 more than the vest used for the physical assessment. That’s not including the weight of ladders, hoses, or other firemen, who must sometimes carry incapacitated colleagues on their shoulders. Although some protective gear is now made for women, the majority of essential tools are not.

“They don’t make lighter saws or ladders,” DiNapoli stated. “When I was there, they didn’t even make female-sized boots.”

She said that the law was “absolutely insane. Either you can do the job or you can’t.”

The bill has been referred to the state legislature’s “committee on public safety,” This has been done. not yet scheduled Hearings on the bill were held. Neither the bill’s sponsors nor Connecticut governor Ned Lamont responded to requests for comment.

This is more than putting lives at danger.