性视界传媒 Fire Service is encouraging women to explore a career in firefighting.

The department will host a trio of one-day workshops to give women 鈥渁n overview of the opportunities and culture of a fire service career,鈥� starting with a session on Saturday, May 27.

The , led by female firefighters who work in 性视界传媒, will be repeated on June 17 and July 15, at 性视界传媒 Fire Services鈥� central training facility, 14923 64th Ave. The fee to register is $30, and there鈥檚 room for 20 women per workshop. Lunch will be provided.

鈥淚t is a bit of a new initiative, the first time we鈥檝e offered specific workshops for women,鈥� Deputy Chief Larry Thomas told the Now-Leader.

鈥淥ur city鈥檚 goal is to have a diverse, inclusive workforce, and in the fire service, females are a bit underrepresented,鈥� he added. 鈥淪o we鈥檙e trying to provide some tools that will remove the stereotypical barriers that people perceive about women in the fire service, to show them there are great employment opportunities for them in the fire service.鈥�

During the workshop, a review of steps of the recruitment process will be discussed, and participants will receive tips from fire service fitness instructors.

Also, the physical skills of firefighters will be discussed, and attendees can experience these skills for themselves. Participants must be 19 years of age, and are asked to dress in fitness apparel for the workshop.

Without getting into numbers, Thomas said there are 鈥渜uite a few鈥� women already working in 性视界传媒 Fire Services.

鈥淭his isn鈥檛 about quotas,鈥� he underlined.

In general, the department looks for firefighters who are mature, well educated and team oriented, according to a post on the city鈥檚 website titled 鈥淏ecoming a Firefighter.鈥�

鈥淔irefighting has evolved a great deal in the last 20 years,鈥� the post reads. 鈥淭he number of medical assistance calls that departments like the 性视界传媒 Fire Service (SFS) attend have dramatically increased.鈥�

From Jan. 1 to Oct. 31, 2016, SFS responded to more than 25,400 incidents related to medical assistance calls or motor vehicle accidents, according to the post. Of the 33,400 incidents reported during that time period, 8,000 calls were fire-related.

The department鈥檚 attrition rate, mostly due to retirement, is typically around 16 vacancies per year, Thomas said.

鈥淪ome years it might be a few less, some years it might be a few more,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his last year here, we鈥檝e already conducted our hiring process and we had 22 vacancies, and we don鈥檛 know what next year holds because people don鈥檛 identify too far in advance when they鈥檙e going to retire.鈥�

Close to 400 people apply to work with SFS every year, he said, so it鈥檚 all very competitive.

鈥淚f you haven鈥檛 been thinking about this career and you鈥檙e just trying to apply for the first time, you鈥檙e probably not going to be very competitive, regardless of your gender,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淵ou have to make this a career goal and consider pre-requisite courses and volunteer options that help make you a better candidate, and part of this workshop is devoted to explaining that to women who are interested in this as a career, to show them that there are no barriers. Anyone can do this job, you just have to be committed and dedicated to pursuing it.鈥�

SFS does not hold similar workshops for men, Thomas said, and part of that is because of role-modeling. He believes 鈥渟tereotyping barriers that don鈥檛 open the doors or eyes to women鈥� who might think of a firefighting career probably start in early childhood.

鈥淢ost males who apply know someone who is a firefighter, and they get lots of advice and help along the way, because they play sports with them or work with them, or whatever,鈥� he explained. 鈥淭here鈥檚 not a shortage of men applying and there鈥檚 not a shortage of men who know what it takes to be successful and get hired. But on the female side of it, there aren鈥檛 as many applicants 鈥� quite a few less 鈥� and we just don鈥檛 know if they鈥檙e aware of how successful they could be if they knew what they had to do (to get the job). It鈥檚 about breaking down those stereotypes.鈥�

For more workshop details, visit .

tom.zillich@ surreynowleader.com