Only after jumping all of these hoops do applicants stand a chance of being hired, and even then they still have to wait for a spot to open up, which can take years. Consequently, entry can be particularly difficult for lower-income women, who are less able to spare the time needed to invest in training.

All of which makes the UWF’s mission statement (“The object of this association shall be to unite in sisterhood”) uniquely empowering – and their ethos of helping other women make it in a male-dominated field completely inspirational.

Main image: twitter.com/unitedwomenffs

How women are helping other women become firefighters in New York City