Excerpts from WREX.com:

Rockford has 271 firefighters and only 10 of them are women. That’s why the department is working on recruiting more women for the job.

It launched a photo shoot Monday with Rock Valley College athletes who will be in a recruitment poster ahead of a special event at RVC.

“We’re making sure that women know the fire service is for men and women,” Rockford Fire Department recruiter Jeff Kloweit said. “We’re doing an informational session at Rock Valley College on Nov. 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the atrium but we’re gearing it towards women so they know that the jobs are out there for them in the fire department too.”

Applications for firefighters open in early 2017.