How can a firefighter being taken off active service for being too short be sexist?

Do height restrictions mean something is sexist? Then fairground rides, cars and planes must be too.

Surely the fire service needs to cater for the "norm" in order to provide standard equipment?

In this way, it can keep costs as low as possible so funds can be directed where most required - more staff, better equipment and more research.

Should we really invest hundreds of thousands of pounds to make all the changes necessary so exceptions can join, at the expense of providing a proper, quality service?

What good would it do if the fire service had to pay compensation to this lady and then invest in making every element of the service "tiny-proof" - lower fire engines, fewer high storage spaces, lighter equipment?

The point, surely, must be whether or not the height restriction should have been dropped in the first place.

-Simon J Kitchener, Simon.J.Kitchener@aexp.com