In the 1970s, only 38 percent of women were in the workforce, according to the United States Department of Labor (DOL). Today, the DOL reports that 57 percent of women participate in the labor force — occupying a range of positions in an incredibly wide variety of industries.1 These industries include those historically dominated by men, such as firefighting, oil and gas, and utilities. While women still occupy a small percentage of the total workforce in these markets, efforts to encourage female participation are on the rise through industry-related associations, women’s groups and beyond.
This is especially true in firefighting — an industry that has seen a 73 percent increase in the number of female workers from 1983 to 2012, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).2 While women have been a part of the industry for centuries, it wasn’t until the 1970s that they were paid for their efforts. Firefighter’s ABC’s credits Judith Livers as the first documented paid female firefighter, with her hiring in 1974 by the Arlington County Fire Department.3