The only woman selected for a controversial class of Los Angeles Fire Department recruits has resigned in the latest setback to a decades-long effort to increase the number of women in the department’s ranks, reports The Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Mayor Laments Lack of Diversity of Firefighter Recruits
Erica Juergens was among 70 recruits picked to enter training at the LAFD’s Panorama City drill tower in January. On Monday she resigned, citing personal reasons.
“I didn’t feel like it was ultimately the job for me,” Juergens said in an interview Wednesday. “But I was very welcomed and offered support and encouragement along the way.”
The fire department has struggled to overcome a legacy of discrimination and bias complaints that have cost taxpayers millions of dollars in legal payouts in recent years. About half of all uniformed employees are white, while the city is 29% white. And despite repeated efforts at reform, the percentage of female firefighters remains at just under 3% — the same as in 1995.
A spokesman for Mayor Eric Garcetti said his office was not aware of the reasons for Juergens’ resignation. But her departure underscores the importance of hiring and retaining qualified female firefighter candidates, Yusef Robb said.
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