Dorset and Wiltshire firefighter faces backlash over Barbie photo
Emily was promoting the on-call firefighter roles in the Facebook post
Last updated 10th Sep 2021
A female on-call firefighter who posed with a Barbie doll on the Dorset and Wiltshire fire service's Facebook page is facing backlash for it.
Many on call stations in Dorset and Wiltshire are currently recruiting for paid on-call firefighters and Emily was promoting that when she was targeted by trolls.
In the post, Emily was wearing makeup, with her nails painted and holding a Barbie dressed in the fire service's uniform, the post read:
"See, even Barbie can become a firefighter. She’s inspiring and showing the next generation they can be anything.
"Only 4% of firefighters around the world are women.
"Why not join us as an on-call firefighter just like Barbie’s buddy Emily?"
Barbie made the doll to highlight that there is opportunity for women to join the fire and rescue service just like they did with the vaccination doctor Sarah doll.
Kathy Collis, area manager for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, said it doesn't matter what an on-call firefighter looks like, as long as they are safe and can do the job.
"One of the reasons we are looking to attract female firefighters is because they can provide us some cover during the time their child is at school. We're just trying to demonstrate that it's an inclusive opportunity for anyone.
"It is about availability and where they live and work, the on-call stations are for people that have a second job or it fits around their home and life styles.
"We do promote inclusivity, we don't look at whether people wear make up or hair styles as an issue for us, we want people to be safe in the way they operate with the job.
"It is important that when they are in the service, they recognise the health and safety requirements, like the way their hair.
"Ultimately it's about the right person to do the job."
DWFRS reposted the photo with a statement saying:
“The only requirements are that you live or work within a suitable distance from the station and you can pass the physical and education tests.
“We’re happy to accept all men and women who want to help their local communities whether or not they wear make up and nail varnish – as our policy shows.
“We need to ensure all our staff are safe at work, so we discuss health and safety requirements with all candidates. If you’re interested in keeping your community safe, we look forward to hearing from you soon!”
How does an ‘on call firefighter work?
On-call firefighters are paid professionals, but unlike wholetime firefighters, they are not based at the fire station as they have other jobs and commitments, responding to emergencies only when their 'alerter' goes off.
On-call firefighters are usually contracted for between 40 and 120 hours of cover per week, but this can vary. Between them, each fire station team will provide cover for weekdays, evenings, nights and weekends.
Around two thirds of the firefighters in Dorset and Wiltshire work on an on-call basis, of their 50 stations, the majority are crewed only by on-call firefighters and on-call staff work alongside their wholetime colleagues at many of our other stations.
Submit an application to be an on-call firefighter here.