A Houston firefighter took a promotion test 12 hours after giving birth because fire officials wouldn’t bend the department’s policy to allow a postponement.
Beda Kent gave birth to a healthy baby daughter at 9 p.m. Tuesday, slept for about 2 1/2 hours and then took the Houston Fire Department captain’s exam at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
“It was uncomfortable,” said Kent, a 12-year veteran of the department. “I had my Motrin — thank God — but that only lasts for so long.”
Civil service regulations mandate that everybody take the test at the same time, District Chief Jack Williams said. A person who is given a temporary reprieve could gain an unfair advantage if they learn about the test from other test-takers, he said.
It appears the HFD rule is reasonable, so hurrah for Firefighter Kent for showing such stellar stuff.