Breaking down barriers ...

Friday night, WPT will air Independent Lens "Taking the Heat: The First Women Firefighters of New York City." This film is a powerful documentary that dives into the history of the gender barrier in the field of firefighting and discovers how a brave group of women fought unfair hiring practices through the courts to become the first females on the force.

As with many Independent Lens offerings, this program comes with an extensive corresponding Web site. The most interesting aspect of this site is a collection of in-depth Q&As with the firefighters at the center of the film.

Women in the Fire Service, a non-profit organization supporting women firefighters, hosts an online memorial to women who have given their lives in the line of duty. The list dates back to a group of 23 firefighters who worked in Great Britain in 1940.