Women in the Fire Service Records

Call Number

WAG.320

Date

1980-2021, inclusive

Creator

Women in the Fire Service (Organization)

Willing, Linda F. (Role: Donor)

Berkman, Brenda (Role: Donor)

Extent

20.3 Linear Feet

in 16 record cartons, 2 flat boxes and 2 half manuscript boxes.

Extent

6 videocassettes (betacamsp)

Extent

2 websites

in two archived websites.

Language of Materials

Materials are in English.

Abstract

Women in the Fire Service (WFS) was formed by firefighters Linda Willing and Terese Floren in the early 1980s. It functioned as a network and advocacy organization for women firefighters. The collection consists of administrative files, correspondence, legal files, surveys, and conference materials related to Women in the Fire Service. The records document the efforts by WFS to fight discrimination again women in the fire services by organizing and supporting women firefighters. Particularly valuable are the files on individual women firefighters.

Historical Note

Women in the Fire Service (WFS) was formed by firefighters Linda Willing and Terese Floren in the early 1980s. It functioned as a network and advocacy organization for women firefighters.

The beginning of the organization was the two women's decision in 1981 to publish a directory of women members of the fire service and a newsletter. Although the first issue of both publications was produced in 1982, WFS was not legally established until the following year.

Throughout its history, WFS fought discrimination and sexual harassment against women in the fire services. The scope of the challenge can been seen from the results of their 1995 survey. Of the 551 women who responded, 88% reported having suffered some sexual harassment during their careers. 69% reported that they were currently subject to sexual harassment.

WFS continued operating until September 2007, when it merged with the Women Chief Fire Officers (WCFO) to form the International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services (iWomen).

Arrangement

This collection has not been arranged by an archivist. Original order is unknown.

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of administrative files, correspondence, legal files, surveys, and conference materials related to Women in the Fire Service. The records document the efforts by WFS to fight discrimination again women in the fire services by organizing and supporting women firefighters. Particularly valuable are the files on individual women firefighters.

Subjects

Organizations

Women in the Fire Service (Organization)

Genres

Web sites.

People

Berkman, Brenda; Willing, Linda F.; Willing, Linda F. (Role: Donor); Berkman, Brenda (Role: Donor)

Topics

Sex discrimination against women -- United States.; Women fire fighters -- United States.; Women -- Employment -- United States.

Donors

Berkman, Brenda; Willing, Linda F.

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

This collection is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use materials in the collection in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, date; Women in the Fire Service Records; WAG 320; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.

To cite the archived website in this collection: Identification of item, date; Women in the Fire Service Records; WAG 320; Wayback URL; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Brenda Berkman and Linda Willing, 2011, 2012, 2018, and 2023. The accession numbers associated with these gifts are 2011.059, 2012.086, 2018.136, and 2023.049.

https://www.i-women.org/ was initially selected by curators and captured through the use of The California Digital Library's Web Archiving Service in 2013 as part of the Labor Unions and Organizations (U.S.) Web Archive. In 2015, the website was migrated to Archive-It. Archive-It uses web crawling technology to capture websites at a scheduled time and displays only an archived copy, from the resulting WARC file, of the website. In 2019, https://www.i-women.org/ redirected to https://www.womeninfire.org/ and was added to the web archives. The accession number associated with this website is 2020.005.

Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures

Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu, (212) 998-2630 with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.

Appraisal

Archived websites are made accessible for purposes of education and research. NYU Libraries have given attribution to rights holders when possible; however, due to the nature of archival collections, we are not always able to identify this information.

If you hold the rights to materials in our archived websites that are unattributed, please let us know so that we may maintain accurate information about these materials.

If you are a rights holder and are concerned that you have found material on this website for which you have not granted permission (or is not covered by a copyright exception under US copyright laws), you may request the removal of the material from our site by submitting a notice, with the elements described below, to the special.collections@nyu.edu.

Please include the following in your notice: Identification of the material that you believe to be infringing and information sufficient to permit us to locate the material; your contact information, such as an address, telephone number, and email address; a statement that you are the owner, or authorized to act on behalf of the owner, of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed and that you have a good-faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; a statement that the information in the notification is accurate and made under penalty of perjury; and your physical or electronic signature. Upon receiving a notice that includes the details listed above, we will remove the allegedly infringing material from public view while we assess the issues identified in your notice.

Separated Materials

A complete run of WFS newsletters were separated for cataloging, while several dozen VHS tapes were given to the Non-Print Department.

Collection processed by

Daniel Michelson

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-20 16:41:08 -0400.

Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Language: Description written in English

Processing Information

Decisions regarding the arrangement, description, and physical interventions taken on this collection prior to 2018 have not yet been recorded. In 2014, the archived website was added as a series. In 2018 and 2023 accretions were integrated into the collection in accordance with the collection's existing structure. Additional website was added in 2020.

Revisions to this Guide

November 2018: Record updated by Samantha Rowe to reflect 2018 accretion

January 2020: Edited by Nicole Greenhouse for additional administration information and the incorporation of archived websites

June 2023: Record updated by Rachel Searcy to reflect 2023 accretion

Repository

Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives

Inventory

Topical Files, early 1990s-early 2000s, inclusive

Box: 1 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Speaking/Training/Projects, mid 1980s-early 2000s, inclusive

Box: 1 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

State and Local Departments: Studies, etc., early 1990s-mid 1990s, inclusive

Box: 1 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Other Women Firefighters and Firefighter Organizations, late 1980s-early 2000s, inclusive

Box: 1 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

United States Fire Administration, 1992, inclusive

Box: 1 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

International Women Firefighters and Firefighter Organizations, early 1990s-mid 2000s, inclusive

Box: 1 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Publications, early 1980s-mid 2000s, inclusive

Box: 2 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Legal Files, mid 1980s-mid 2000s, inclusive

Box: 2 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Files on Women Firefighters: A

Box: 2 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Files on Individual Women Firefighters: B-O

Box: 3 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Files on Individual Women Firefighters: P-Z

Box: 4 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Sexual Harassment and Discriminatory Policies, early 1980s-mid 2000s, inclusive

Box: 4 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Sexual Harassment and Discriminatory Policies, 1980s, inclusive

Box: 4 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Correspondence, early 1980s, inclusive

Box: 5 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Newsletter Proofs, 1990s, inclusive

Box: 5 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fire Service Directories and Other Publications, early 1980s-early 1990s, inclusive

Box: 5 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Linda Willing, early 1980s-mid 1990s, inclusive

Box: 5 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Correspondence, 1980s, inclusive

Box: 6 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Surveys, 1980-1995, inclusive

Box: 6 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)