UK fire chief bans term ‘firemen’ as ‘sexist’

A UK fire chief has been accused of “wokeism gone mad” after banning the terms “fireman” and “firemen” — calling them “sexist, exclusionary” and a “micro-aggression that is damaging to our culture.”

Dave Russel, the chief fire officer for Greater Manchester, said in an email obtained by the Bolton News that the terms used in “everyday vocabulary” will “not be tolerated.”

“We employ firefighters, not ‘firemen,’ and haven’t for decades, so why use the term?” he wrote, with the Telegraph saying it applied to the singular term, too.

“Its connotation is sexist, exclusionary, and represents a form of micro-aggression that is damaging to our culture.

“This needs to stop and the term permanently erased from our vocabulary.”

Local politician Andy Morgan ripped the rule as “ridiculous.”

“He’s said ‘I will not tolerate the term fireman.’ How petty is that?” the senior councilor asked.

“It’s wokeism gone mad,” he said.

“I agree the term firefighter is a better term now but to outlaw the term fireman and to suggest disciplinary action for anyone that says it out of habit, without any malice, is completely inappropriate.”

Russel defended the rule as part of a push to “foster an inclusive environment that welcomes and respects all colleagues.”

“There is no reason for us to use language that minimizes or overlooks the vital role anyone plays within our service,” he told the local outlet.

“The importance of achieving the right culture and behavior cannot be overstated. It is one of the hardest factors to get right, but undoubtedly one of the most valuable,” he said.