Pirkanmaa rescue and EMS adopt gender-neutral titles from March

YLE reports that the Pirkanmaa wellbeing region will switch several rescue and EMS job titles to gender-neutral forms from March. Behind the change is the Interior Ministry's program to promote gender equality and diversity in the rescue sector. The move aligns with broader efforts to use inclusive language in professional classifications, part of a wider equality plan.

The plan emphasizes that the new titles should better reflect daily duties, with acting fire chief Teemu-Taavetti Toivonen noting in a press release that the changes accurately describe tasks. Pirkanmaa's equality and non-discrimination strategy also aims to enhance diversity through training and by valuing workers with partial work ability. Previously, Satakunta and Keski-Suomi wellbeing regions have already adopted gender-neutral job titles.

YLE notes that adopting gender-neutral titles is part of ongoing reforms in Finland’s emergency services, and other regions have already moved in this direction, signaling broader national momentum.