plural of fireman; people trained to fight fires and respond to emergencies like accidents and rescues.
Compound of 'fire' and 'man,' from Old English 'fyr' and 'mann.' The word has been in use for centuries but modernized with firefighting technology.
We still call them 'firemen' despite most modern fire departments using 'firefighter' instead—it shows how occupational language lags behind social change, keeping old words even when they no longer describe the reality.
Gendered term from era when firefighting was male-exclusive profession. Excludes non-male firefighters.
Use 'firefighters' as gender-neutral default. Specify 'women firefighters' when highlighting women's participation.
["firefighters","fire service personnel"]
Women firefighters have fought for equal access and recognition; many early female firefighters faced legal barriers until the 1970s–80s.
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