North Bay Fire Service looking to add more females

The North Bay Fire Service is looking to add more females.

Deputy Chief Greg Saunders told CTV News currently there is one female on staff and added only one to two percent of applicants are female.

“What I’d like to do is get more young women in North Bay interested in perusing a career in firefighting," said Saunders.

"Have them open their eyes and realize that being a fire fighter is an option for them.”

He said the job has changed and that females can excel in the field.

“Females are absolutely great at doing this job, it’s been proven throughout the province that females are very effective at working at fires," said Saunders.

“The job is not what it was 30 years ago, it’s more than just responding to fires.”

"There’s so much more to what we do now, that we want to have more than one skill set in our team.”

The fire department has partnered with the school boards in North Bay to educate young female students on what being a fire fighter is about and to see if there's any local interest.

In April, eight students will be selected through an application process and will get to experience what the job is like.

“We will get them set up, have a path for them to get the necessary prerequisites and get the experience they need to pursue a career in fire fighting," said Saunders.

"It’s real, and it can happen and it’s right here in North Bay.”