DALLAS — Women have made strong gains in the fire industry over the last four decades since the first career female firefighter joined the ranks in 1973. Today, women make up 3.6 percent of the career firefighter population and 34 percent of the EMS workforce, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Yet gender discrimination and hostile work environments persist.

"If you have women in your fire stations, you have a sexual harassment problem," former deputy assistant fire chief J. Curtis Varone said. "That's how pervasive this problem is."

At the International Association of Fire Chiefs' Fire-Rescue International 2014, Varone described the problem as a cultural one. And it often starts with an underlying resentment on part of male firefighters, who may feel — perhaps subconsciously — that women don't belong in their industry.

"In general, women aren't as strong. That doesn't mean they can't do the job," said Varone, a licensed attorney who works on fire- and EMS-related litigation. "But driving the problem is there are men who perceive that difference as a problem."

Chicago-based attorney Alisa Arnoff, who represents sex discrimination clients across various industries, said lawsuits in the fire industry often grow out of that attitude of resentment toward women that usually starts little by little.

Some fire departments don't have women on staff, which may lead them to question why their culture now matters at all, she said. But if the culture doesn't change now, how will it change when a woman joins the staff?

Arnoff and Varone gave a few example scenarios, such as male firefighters watching X-rated content at night after they think the female firefighter on their staff has gone to sleep. Or a male fire officer who makes it his goal to prove to management that his female officer counterpart is incompetent.

Arnoff advises fire personnel to say something when they see something — not just stand by and watch.

"We didn't get here overnight, and we're not going to get out of the situation overnight," Varone said. "But we've got to start."

Physical standards in the fire service are often based upon the strength of a man, not that of a woman. This is one of the primary problems, Varone said. Reevaluating these standards — such as the maximum weight a firefighter should be able to carry — and purchasing equipment that can be used by both men and women are good places to start.

Arnoff noted that although many women in the fire service come across as tough, this may be a façade and should not be mistaken for endorsing lewd behavior.

"Are they really doing this because they want to or are they using it as a coping mechanism?" she said.

Leaders need to take definitive steps to change their workplace's culture, Varone said. He advises chiefs to make regular visits to fire stations, creating a culture of openness. During those visits, make a point of observing the workplace for signs of inappropriate activities and asking female employees how things are going for them.

"If male firefighters know you're going to be there asking questions, they may be less likely to harass," he said.

In general, the female employees who sue often win these cases, Arnoff said, so it is in fire departments' best interest to begin making changes now.

"Juries don't like to see female public servants harassed," she said.

Although a belief persists otherwise, the majority of women in the industry would rather be left alone and not have to file these types of lawsuits, Varone said.

"Leaders need to engage the topic, not duck the solution," Varone said.