FIRE chiefs want to break down the image of firefighters as all beefy men by employing more women from Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley.
Greater Manchester Fire Service are also inviting more people from the ethnic minorities to "climb the ladder" of firefighting success.
Currently Greater Manchester has just 17 ethnic and two female firefighters out of a force of 2,054.
In the next two years the service aims to increase the number of women firefighters to 80.
A £109,000 advertising campaign is being launched to meet Home Office targets with the message: "Whatever your race or gender, you can climb the ladder of success".
Fire Authority chairman and Bedford and Astley councillor Fred Walker admitted the fire service was still the domain of white men.
He said: "The current workforce does not reflect the community we serve. We are determined to meet targets."
In December the brigade recruited its first equality liaison officer Tasleem Akhtar. She will develop links with ethnic communities and work alongside community leaders.
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