Men, masculinities and firefighting: Occupational identity, shop-floor culture and organisational change

As an occupation, firefighting is replete with images of maleness operating around a series of highly masculinised codes and values most notably comprising: risk/danger, heroism, fearlessness/courage, physicality, and bodily strength. This qualitative study of the UK Fire Service seeks to uncover the ways in which these masculine codes and values were evident amidst the daily working lives of a group of full-time, male firefighters. Placing respondent views at the centre of the research, findings suggest that occupational identities were based primarily upon notions of emotional strength, physical and technical competence and collective understandings of risk and responsibility. A commitment to group solidarity was also central to the masculine identities of respondents, with colleagues in administrative and managerial positions being distanced on account of their non-manual occupational roles.