GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) Recent studies have found that first responders who are women are at a much lower number than men.
At a time when wildfires have been devastating areas of California and all over the news, Los Angeles Times reports the state is looking to fall short of its 2020 female hiring goal.
A study by The National Fire Protection Association found women in The United States make up only 10% of firefighters.
That means 90% of firefighting jobs go to men.
That same study found females make up 13% of the police force, 21% of paramedics or EMTs, and 20% of the U.S. military.
None of these statistics come close to the male percentage in these job fields.
The next question is pay.
A Narrow the Gap study found women emergency medical technicians and paramedics make 66 cents to the dollar that men do, and they’re doing the same job.
Lauren Brittenham is a Greenville Fire/ Rescue Trainee.
She says she doesn’t let these statistics get her down.
“Follow your heart and try, because you never know until you try. If you do find a setback then figure out how you’re going to change the world and do it from your little bubble. Then, change the world one person at a time.”
– Lauren Brittenham, Greenville Fire/Rescue Trainee
Below are the links to local first responder pages:
