The Toronto Star
The troubled Richmond fire department has banned front-line firefighters from wearing their own undies, briefs or boxers while on duty.
Both sexes are now wearing mandatory standard underwear and it’s costing the city $16,000 to provide each firefighter with six pairs.
The mandatory standard translates into plain, sensible Stanfield boxers, said Richmond city official Ted Townsend.
“You can buy them anywhere,” he said. “There’s nothing special about them.”
The one-style-for-all is part of the city’s attempts to make the department gender-neutral and provide an environment in which men and women will feel comfortable, said Townsend.
When firefighters are called out they remove all their clothes down to their underwear and don protective firefighting gear, said Townsend.
Everyone strips in a common area and the standardized underwear came “from a sense in the department” that this was the best approach to the issue, he said.
The department has been rocked by allegations from four female firefighters that they have been victims of sexual harassment and other forms of harassment from male colleagues.
All the women walked off the job. Two have returned to work and one is suing the city.
Investigations by labour negotiator Vince Ready and lawyer Susan Paish made a number of recommendations to prevent problems. In his report, Ready described the workplace culture at Richmond as “characterized by juvenile and hostile behaviour” towards women.
Only active firefighters on Richmond’s 215-member force will be required to wear the standardized underwear.
“It won’t be a requirement for persons in the department who don’t attend fires,” Townsend said.