The First Female FDNY Members are Sworn In  

The first FDNY class of firefighters to include women is pictured here.  Firefighters took an oath in the Murray Bergtraum high school auditorium and officially join the force in 1982. 

This ceremony was a historic one, as it marked the first class of both male and female firefighters the FDNY had ever had; though it was also ridden with opposition and criticism.  Protestors who criticized the new hiring could be seen and heard at the back of the auditorium holding signs and demonstrating.

 Read more about the backlash following the admittance of females into the FDNY at the LaborArts’ exhibit Women Firefighters in New York City.  

Currently, organizations such as United Women Firefighters and the International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Service aim to harbor a sense of solidarity and unitedness among females in the force.