Use of the term "fireman" is to be banned within Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. In a memo to staff Chief Fire Officer, Dave Russel, says its connotation is 'sexist, exclusionary, and a form of micro-aggression' which is damaging the culture of the service.
He indicates that any breach of the order could result in disciplinary action. He adds that "gossip" will also "not be tolerated".
He says: "Whilst it would be naive of me to think it doesn't exist in all organisations, its unhelpfully magnified in GMFRS and often manifests itself negatively towards staff from under-represented groups. Gossip is damaging - it is hurtful, divisive and goes against our values of honesty, inclusivity, and respsect."
Commenting on the term fireman he says in the memo: "This is a term I'd not heard for 15 years prior to joing GMFRS, yet here, it regularly slips into people's every day vocabulary, a 'cultural blind spot' and its use is very often untoticed and unchallenged because it's just become 'the way things are around here'.
"But its connotation is sexist, exclusionary, and represents a form of mirco-aggression that is damaging to our culture. This needs to stop and the term permanently erased from our vocabulary. We employ firefighters not fireman and haven't for decades, so why use the term? I am clear today that the use of this term will not be tolerated in GMFRS." The Greater Manchester service currently has 1,383 firefighters of whom 100 are women.
In a statement Mr Russel added: “As Chief Fire Officer I have set out a clear and positive mission to foster an inclusive environment that welcomes and respects all colleagues within Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
“The impact of this collective effort is already being recognised by organisations like Stonewall, which recently ranked GMFRS 50th in its Top 100 list for leading LGBTQ+ inclusive employers. Our Fire Plan for 2021-2025 outlines the steps we are taking to ensure that we develop and support a workforce that is more representative of the communities we serve.
“Like any organisation, it’s important for us to listen to our colleagues and empower them to speak out when they experience behaviours that don’t meet our vision of being a modern, resilient fire and rescue service. This helps us to identify and re-evaluate certain practices or habits that, while they may be commonplace, prop up outdated ideas about who we are and what we do. One of the things that emerged from that process was a feeling that certain terms still in use were not consistent with that vision, and had the effect of making colleagues feel excluded or overlooked.
“Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service is proud to employ firefighters who come to work every day to serve our communities, and who stand shoulder-to-shoulder with one another in often challenging circumstances. There is no reason for anyone to feel that the language we use on a daily basis minimises or overlooks the vital role they play within our service
“The importance of achieving the right culture and behaviour cannot be overstated. It is one of the hardest factors to get right, but undoubtedly one of the most valuable. We’re making big improvements to GMFRS, and culture is at the heart of that.”
Mr Russel was appointed in July 2020 to his £160,000 a-year post to transform the service through a ‘challenging period’. He was previously deputy chief fire officer at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. He had the task of restoring the service's reputation and morale after the debacle of fire crews desperate to help being held back in the aftermath of the 2017 Manchester Arena bomb attack by their own command team.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said Mr Russel was the ‘right person at the right time’ to lead GMFRS. Mr Russel, whose career in Lancashire has spanned 29 years, left a service that was rated outstanding by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services in 2021.
He was the incident commander when a huge moorland fire broke out over Winter Hill in Bolton in 2018 and was responsible for coordinating up to 250 responders on the scene over 41 days.
At the time of his appointment, he said: “I’m totally committed to further the development of GMFRS and importantly to protect and improve the quality of life for the people of Greater Manchester. I acknowledge that the operating environment will continue to be difficult for all public services, however I do believe I possess the capacity, capability and can offer longevity.
“In doing so I guarantee that I will give strong support to the mayor, deputy mayor and the combined authority, and to provide GMFRS with exceptional leadership qualities.”
Since his arrival at GMFRS he has led a change in culture. This has been evident with the sacking last year of five firefighters for allegedly making racist remarks - four from the same station on a WhatsApp group. Also last year, the service's third highest ranking officer was dismissed for alleged gross misconduct.
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