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Firewomen prove they exist to four-year-old Esme | Firewomen prove they exist to four-year-old Esme |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Firewomen have posted pictures of themselves on social media after a four-year-old girl said she thought only men could sign up. | Firewomen have posted pictures of themselves on social media after a four-year-old girl said she thought only men could sign up. |
Hannah Summers from London tweeted how her daughter Esme wished she was a boy so she could be a firefighter, as she only saw firemen in the books she read. | |
It prompted women firefighters across the country to post videos and pictures on Twitter to prove they exist. | |
Ms Summers later tweeted Esme "firmly believes she can be a firefighter". | Ms Summers later tweeted Esme "firmly believes she can be a firefighter". |
On Friday, freelance journalist Ms Summers asked on Twitter if there were any books or videos with women firefighters. | |
She said: "My four-year-old came home yesterday saying she wished she was a boy so she could be a fireman. | She said: "My four-year-old came home yesterday saying she wished she was a boy so she could be a fireman. |
"When I said 'girls can be firefighters too', she said 'but I've seen in books they are all boys and I don't want to be the only girl'." | "When I said 'girls can be firefighters too', she said 'but I've seen in books they are all boys and I don't want to be the only girl'." |
Among the first to reply was West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) with a video carrying messages from serving female firefighters. | |
They tweeted: "Esme, lots of our firefighters are girls and boys - some of them want to say hello to you!" | They tweeted: "Esme, lots of our firefighters are girls and boys - some of them want to say hello to you!" |
It was not long before other firewomen replied, even from as far away as New York. | |
London Fire Brigade firewomen stationed in Ealing tweeted: "We are London firefighters and we are girls. Hope we can meet you one day?" | London Fire Brigade firewomen stationed in Ealing tweeted: "We are London firefighters and we are girls. Hope we can meet you one day?" |
Another firewoman Rebecca Rowe tweeted: "I'm also a firefighter in the London Fire Brigade. Your daughter can be anything she wants. | Another firewoman Rebecca Rowe tweeted: "I'm also a firefighter in the London Fire Brigade. Your daughter can be anything she wants. |
"Don't let gender stand in the way." | "Don't let gender stand in the way." |
Speaking to the BBC, Ms Summers said: "It was fantastic to get such a lovely response from WMFS. | |
"The message obviously struck a chord with people as is evident from the massive amount of feedback we've had." | |
Mother and daughter are now set to speak about women firefighters at Esme's nursery, before travelling to Birmingham to meet them in person. | |
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) praised the video but said more needed to be done to recruit women in the fire service. According to the council, 95% of firefighters in England are male and white. | |
Currently only 8% of uniformed fire staff in WMFS are female. | |
A West Midlands Fire Service spokesman said: "The message by Esme's mum just goes to highlight the stereotypes that still exist around women being firefighters despite WMFS having female firefighters for the past 30 years." | |