Three out of 28 female candidates passed a strenuous Fire Services fitness test yesterday after the department waived traditional rules requiring candidates to meet minimum weight and height limits.
The women had to carry a 68kg dummy up a ladder, push a 24kg ladder on to a latch on a wall, haul three breathing gas cylinders up and down stairs and carry a firefighting hose.
More than 18,000 people applied for 136 vacancies, comprising 76 places for fire officers, 30 for fire station officers and 30 for ambulance officers. Of the 18,000 applicants, 1,204 were women. A Fire Services spokesman said only 28 of the 70 women supposed to attend yesterday's test turned up.
One of the successful candidates, Shen Gar-yan, 26, said: 'The most difficult chore is to shoulder the dummy person and climb the ladder. You have to balance yourself while carrying and climbing.' Ms Shen has been a saleswoman for two years.
Divisional officer (recruitment and training) Lo Shu-nam said candidates who passed the fitness test also had to undergo interviews. There are five women fire station officers and five female ambulance officers in the department.