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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, April 12, 1993                   TAG: 9304120257
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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FIREFIGHTERS MUST PASS THE TESTS

REGARDING Joel Turner's March 24 article concerning hiring more women for city jobs:

This in itself is an admirable goal, but I think Mayor Bowers should do more research on the city's policy for hiring firefighting personnel before issuing ultimatums.

According to the current policy, the city cannot arbitrarily hire a woman, or anyone else for that matter, to be a firefighter. There are procedures that must be followed to be considered for employment.

I have seen, first-hand, the blood, sweat and tears it takes just to get on the list: the long, tedious hours of study to pass the written test, plus the hard, grueling practice to pass the physical test. Individuals are put on the list according to the test scores for one year and, as positions open up, are hired, beginning with the highest scorers. After one year has passed, they have to start over again.

I think it would be great if the city hired a qualified woman, but she should have to come up through the ranks just like everyone else. In this case, what's good for the gander, is good for the goose. MYRNA TRUSSLER VINTON

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