Brenda Berkman: Pioneering Woman Firefighter | History

Brenda Berkman is the reason women are allowed to join the New York City fire department-- this is the story of her fight. #HistoryChannel
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CORRECTION: the duffle bag pictured at 1:48 is inaccurate. The duffle Brenda describes was actually a 120 lb solid cylinder to be balanced on one’s shoulder, with no straps or handles, providing a considerable technical problem to those taking the test. We apologize for the error.

[@TheWeepingDalek]

gotta love all the people who clearly aren't firefighters commenting on firefighting. they actually think firefighters lift people. we never lift we drag and those girls can drag. i also remember being on a call to a fire. young child was trapped in their room. smallish window. no big strong male firefighter could have gained entry. so we sent up the lady fire fighter. she got in and got the child out. that child is alive today because female firefighters exist. fire fighting is a team effort and yes I may be better and dragging out the 150 pound guy. nothing stopping her going and getting the baby.

[@kylorenthehusky2584]

Great video!

[@tlocs2842]

Gotta love affirmative action! She was the beginning of the end of the best of FDNY!

[@jeevanjyotimohanty9837]

Great👍👍👍

[@dr_virulentepidemic8200]

Bulldagger

[@parzival1176]

I know I'm sure reassured by the logic of a 150 to 160 lb woman trying to carry a 350 lb man down three flights of burning stairs while wearing a full set of gear, what could possibly go wrong?

[@res1023]

Jonathan Lokey what’s the difference between that and a 150 pound man trying to do it? Im female first responder clocking in at a hefty 165. I’ll carry who I can and ask my partner for help with who I can’t.

[@TheWeepingDalek]

@@res1023 aren't most rescues done in teams anyway. like you take one end I'll take the other. most single rescues are o

[@davetaylor2560]

Still not physically strong and capable as the top ranking male fireman cadets.....

[@TheWeepingDalek]

but more agile and nimble. could reach hard to reach area's. fit through smaller gaps. like into the back or a wrecked car to provide emergency 1st aid to trapped indviduels. apply neck support while the big strong men cut off the roof. fire fighting is a team job and each member of that team has a role to play. but hey who are someone who have probably never done anything worthwhile in your life to judge.

[@bucker89]

51 thumb up so fire house 51 approves

[@SC-us1hs]

lawyers have f'd this country up!

[@basedlawyer5147]

Some lawyers have but this lawyer is with you. Women shouldn’t be firefighters.

[@chinafloyd3831]

🍻

[@jason4275]

*I doubt they could , fireman carry their're fellow fighter-fighters, if there was an accident inside a building, I bet they did half the job but, reieve full pay.*

[@confidential5743]

A woman isn't gonna be able to carry a man that weighs 80 more pounds than her out of a burning building

[@TheWeepingDalek]

niether is a man

[@gregoryenste3883]

I know this sounds bad but the truth is an average to above average woman would never be able to carry an average to above average male out of a burning building. I understand that there is an equal rights issue, but we are talking about who lives and who dies.

[@confidential5743]

It's just reality, men are biologically stronger and being a fire fighter is debateably one of the few jobs in the world where the person you're interacting with is relying on your physical strength

[@TheWeepingDalek]

@@confidential5743 not always. somethimes being smaller and nimbler is a assent. say a house is on fire and a young child is trapped in a room. the door is blocked by debris. the big strong male firefighters can't get in.

[@melindahernandez8778]

AMEN SISTA!!!! THANK YOU!!!

[@johnathonseagull492]

Ohh Dear just walked into Minefield! Cluck Cluck - No Comment except this is one toxic female.

[@bradrobb7582]

So another words, she wanted to be a fireman, she was too weak and too small to pass the physical portion, and having been to Law school she decided to throw a fit to get her way. If women want to work in a man’s world they should have to do what the men do

[@richardhoepfner1633]

They couldn't pass the physical requirement test... Makes me wonder how often men were called on to complete rescues that these women were not capable of.

[@hgjjjcgjbgujki2660]

🦸‍♂️

[@valhallabound4912]

My wifes grandfather was a NYC firefighter who died on the job in the 50's......he died from a torn sternum and smoke inhalation from hauling a unconscious man out of a fire and down 13 stories of smoke filled stairs.....he died 3 days later from the smoke inhalation. Do you think this "WOMAN" could carry any man over 140 pounds down those stairs? 🤔

[@Julia-yj9qk]

Yeah it’s actually pretty easy

[@TheWeepingDalek]

because fire fighting hasn't changed since the 50's. breathing gear hasn't improved. new rescue techniques haven't been implemented. plus what man can carry 140 pound man. they don't carry. they drag. what man can carry a 300 pound man down those stairs. how do fire fighters rescue the morbidly obese?

[@MrMuddybike]

Never gif up ! Love this women. I was realy suprisid that it was in the '80 befor women wher firefighters.

[@matthewmontgomery31]

How did she pass the requirements.She couldn't lift a 200lb man especially if he is dead weight.

[@eldiablocabron5322]

Women the physical part of the test was unfair 🤣🤣🤣 so let's go to court and make them change it then we can pass it then we can get credit for being the first women in firefighting, wonder how many women are firefighters in New York today probably the same amount that entered back then but hey that doesn't matter because we can do what little boys can do 🤣🤣🤣

[@TheWeepingDalek]

excpet it was proven unfair becuase it wasn't teaching real life rescue techniques. the new ways of rescue have been proven to be more effective.

[@MetSpace04]

Great video!