Diversity, equality and inclusion in requirements have become an important aspect across sectors, including fire service. As John Rose Oak Bluff mentions, fire departments today must strive to facilitate a recruitment platform that rises above traditional barriers, and addresses racial and gender inequality. Diversity essentially celebrates the differences in a group of people, with a focus on their interests, lifestyle, gender, and even ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds.
John Rose Oak Bluff sheds light on the importance of diversity in fire service
Even with a firm commitment of finding new talent, many fire departments, especially the ones in the smaller communities, are struggling to fill positions. Putting emphasis on the aspects of inclusion, diversity, and equality can help increase the number of applicants in fire service. Diverse teams bring diversity in ideas, experiences and perspectives. This can lead to improved problem-solving capabilities and more innovative solutions. No matter whether one works as a full-time firefighter or a volunteer, they would bring a variety of experiences and skills with them. By tapping into this diverse set of skills, fire chiefs might even be able to establish creative solutions to age-old problems. The more perspectives and experiences that individuals can bring to the firehouse, the better it is for the department, on the whole.
A diverse fire department is usually able to foster a greater degree of trust within the community. As people see that their fire department includes people from varying backgrounds, it increases their confidence in the ability and commitment of the fire department to serve equitably and fairly. Due to the important role a fire department plays in a community, this trust and confidence are extremely important.
A fire department that resembles the local community in demographic makeup is likely to garner more respect from citizens, and can even provide their services in a more effective manner. For instance, if a certain community has a large number of residents who speak Spanish, recruiting firefighters who can understand and speak the language would help make sure that they can efficiently communicate with citizens during both emergencies and non-emergency situations. During emergency or traumatic circumstances, people are usually more comfortable in speaking with someone who knows their language and whom they can better identify with.
Failing to hire and retain a diverse team of fire fighters may even raise questions in regard to the hiring practices and workplace culture of a fire department. In certain cases, this may even lead to budget cuts, lawsuits and community distrust. As John Rose Oak Bluff especially mentions, having a diverse team benefits both the fire department and the community it serves. Improving diversity in fire departments can play an important role in improving the overall perception of firefighters, as well as the role they play in the local communities. Fortunately, due to the various recruitment efforts in fire departments across the nation, and specific programs designed to recruit women and minorities to the fire service, a shift toward more diversity in the future has been observed.
