Lt. Necole Dundy Pittman said her 11 years with the Bridgeport Fire Department is proof that it’s not “a man’s job.”
Firefighter Mohammad Kahn said his bigger stature is proof that you don’t have to be thin and muscular.
Being a firefighter, they both said, is mostly about endurance.
Bridgeport is looking for new firefighters and is hoping to attract a diverse crew to become the newest of the city’s bravest.
Kahn said his time training to become a firefighter helped build up his endurance and prove that anyone ready to commit to the job could do it.
In an effort to help those worried about the $175 cost of CPAT, the city announced a scholarship program recently that will cover the cost of the test for 150 applicants.
Typically, anyone with a criminal record would steer away from firefighting positions, Dundy Pittman said. But a few years ago, Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim introduced a second chance opportunity for firefighters in the city.