Can firefighters have piercings?

Firefighters’ duties are full of responsibilities and handling emergencies. As a result, they have to follow strict rules every day. These rules are made for their safety and work security as well.

The jewelry policy is one example.

Can firefighters have piercings or not? – is a ubiquitous question asked by maximum firefighter incumbents. I know this because I’ve had many piercings and implored the same at the beginning of my firefighting duty.

Yes, a firefighter can get piercings, but they have to cover them up while on service, depending on the department’s rules.

Let’s delve deeper.

can firefighters wear piercings

Also Read:  Can Firefighters Have Long Hair, Dreadlocks, Or Dyed Hair?

Can Firefighters Have/wear Piercings?

Most of the firefighting branches have issues with visible piercings only. At the bottom of the turnout gear, piercings are generally allowed because they don’t expose them publicly or cause a safety risk. So, if you want to be a firefighter or work as a firefighter already and want to have a piercing, avoid having it on your eyebrows, nose, lips, or tongue.

Some fire departments have no issues with piercings. Still, the firefighters of those departments have to take responsibility for their injuries and the danger caused by piercings.

Policy/Rules Regarding Firefighter Body Piercings

In recent times, the growing demand for body piercings has compelled many fire departments worldwide to introduce rules against them. So, let’s see the policies against body piercings in a few fire departments.

1. Jewelry Policy of Fire Brigade of London

The Fire Brigade of London (UK) contends that Firefighters are obligated to remove the danger or reduce the risk when the body jewelry causes a safety risk at work. And This rule is approved by the teams who work with health safety issues.

The LFB ordered firefighters to conceal any piercings. Suppose any employee wants to have a fresh piercing while at work; they have to ask permission from the authority to do it. They must make sure that the process of having pierced and the healing doesn’t affect their performance and duties.

2. Jewelry Policy Fire Department of San Antonio

The Fire Department of San Antonio (Texas) doesn’t raise any complex rules against body piercings. Instead, they just want to make sure that their firefighters maintain a formal and professional appearance.

However, their regulations about body art, including piercings – the SAFD forbids to pierce in the skin by foreign objects for their cosmetic effect, but ear piercings are allowed (not more than 2)

3. Fire Department of Phoenix

The Fire Department of Phoenix (Arizona) values firefighters’ right to wear jewelry until appropriate, safe, not offensive, conservative, and not a dangerous concern. Therefore, earrings are the only jewelry that is allowed on the visible parts of the body. 

Firefighters can easily get body piercings. But under the uniforms, though. 

What to Do if You Have Body Jewelry?

So, if you have body jewelry, that can interfere with your firefighting career. In that case, there are several things you can do to deal with the “problem.”

1. Know the Rules:

First, read the policies of the fire department where you wish to work. Not all fire departments around the globe have a policy against piercings. Again some fire departments may have rules against it but never enforce them. They just make a statement and sign by you like – the authority will not be liable for your damage and injuries by piercings.

2. Take Off:

If your chosen firehouse has stringent rules against piercing, then take it off while on duty or cover them up. And wear them again when you are off duty because maintaining rules as a firefighter is essential. And also, piercings can cause injury and damage to your body. So taking them off is a better choice.

3. Use Piercing Retainers:

Piercing retainers contain metal tools or plastic used to exchange body jewelry to keep the holes open and hide them. They come in various designs and colors. Retainers are famous because they help to make your piercings invisible.

Maximum fire departments prohibited piercings or jewelry because they prefer professionalism, but piercing retainers are allowed to wear it. It would be best if you discuss this with the supervisor about this matter.

4. Tape Them:

When on service, taping your piercings is the other option. By this, you will wear the piercings, and the hole will not close up. Taping can also ensure your safety by preventing jewelry from hooking up with something.

Before this, ensure that covering the piercings is allowed in your department or not. Regarding this, check this with your supervisor.

5. Having a Hidden Pierce:

Maximum fire departments have issues with only visible piercings. So if you want to have a piercing very much, then have it hidden for safety. For example, having piercings on the belly or chest is okay because they can be covered or hidden under the uniform.

So, as a firefighter, if you want to have a piercing, avoid having one on your eyebrows, nose, lips, tongue, etc. How about getting one on your belly button?

Can firemen have neck tattoos?

Firefighters can absolutely have neck tattoos, but they have to cover them up while on service, depending on the department rules. This question has many issues with employment policies where forces and supervisors look down on firemen with ink.

a firefighters have tattoos on his neck

But today, the situation is different. Some fire departments, except body art, are very strict about it, and the firefighters are obligated to cover up.

Can an EMT have a nose ring?

EMTs can not have a nose ring. Because wearing any visible tattoos, tongue piercings, body modifications, and nose rings are forbidden for an EMT. As an EMT, you can have two usual piercings only per ear.

And this is all because an EMT has to deal with danger frequently. So these rules are adopted only for their safety.

Do firefighters wear wedding rings?

A firefighter’s duty is full of uncertainty. They have to respond to emergencies so that they can wear silicone wedding rings only. Because as a fireman, they don’t have much time to think about the wedding ring— their focus is to deal with the emergencies at hand.

So, they need a safe and secure ring, and silicon rings meet these criteria.

For example, silicone rings are breakable, so it will leave them unharmed. Other than that, silicon rings are not dangerous for their work, but other metal rings do.

 Also Read:  Can You Be A Firefighter With A Criminal Record?

Where can’t women firefighters have a piercing?

Women firefighters can’t have a piercing in any visible parts of their body except the ears. Although some fire departments allow piercing on the nose, this is a rare case.

Maximum fire departments allow two piercing on each ear and accept that not a single piercing is permitted. And the other departments don’t allow any piercing at all. So, in that case, consulting with your supervisor would be the best choice.

Can Women firefighters have a piercing? Where they can and can’t?

Most fire departments prohibited visible piercing. So, women firefighters can have a piercing in private parts, as long as it is hidden. Rules of the piercing may differ from department to department.

Typically they can easily get pierced on the invisible parts of the body, like: under their belly. But as for visible parts, it is strictly forbidden except for ears. Like: nose, tongue, eyebrow, lips, etc.

Can firefighters have gauges?

I already said that the rules and regulations for firefighters could vary from department to department. But maximum fire departments don’t permit to have gauges. Not only that, carrying multiple piercings or any hanging jewelry is also forbidden. But regarding this matter, I recommend asking your supervisor would be the best.

Can you be an EMT with stretched ears?

Yes, you can be an EMT with stretched ears, but you will need to cover it up when you are on service; this is because EMTs have to maintain a professional appearance strictly. And may fire departments count stretched ear as an unprofessional sign, so they don’t allow it.

Some fire departments have no objections about stretched ears, but this is rare because safety issues are significant for an EMT.

Conclusion

Generally, body piercings don’t cause any safety risks, and that’s why people get confused about whether firefighters can have piercings. However, many fire departments don’t allow piercings on the visible parts of the body to sustain an occupational image.

As for firefighting services, you can:

  • Wear piercings (if it’s allowed.)
  • Take off your piercings (if it’s not allowed).
  • Use piercing retainer.
  • Tape the piercings.
  • Get hidden piercing under the uniform.