St. Louis ? A federal appeals court panel upheld a jury’s sexual discrimination verdicts in lawsuits filed by a female Kansas City fire battalion chief and a former firefighter.

The three-judge panel stopped short, however, of granting an injunction ordering the Kansas City Fire Department to immediately upgrade its facilities for women.

In January 2001, a federal jury awarded Battalion Chief Kathleen Kline $50,000 in her lawsuit. Another jury awarded Anne Wedow, now retired, a total of $285,000. The appeals court upheld both verdicts on Friday.

Both had alleged that the fire department had discriminated against female firefighters in the equipment and facilities it provided for them, and that they were retaliated against for complaining.

Their lawsuits claimed that by refusing to provide protective clothing designed for women, the city placed them in danger because their gear did not fit properly. They also said they were forced to share bathing and sleeping facilities with male firefighters. Wedow said women were harassed, groped and shunted to undesirable assignments.

“Adequately fitting firefighting clothing and sanitary and private facilities are essential to the job of a firefighter, and inadequacies in these areas compromise job efficiency as well as safety,” the panel’s ruling read in part.

Karen Howard, an attorney for the two women, praised the ruling.

“The court has sent the message that women who daily risk their lives to keep us safe are entitled to the same treatment under the law, and the same basic on-the-job protection, as their male counterparts,” Howard said.

The panel’s rejection of the injunction request disappointed Wedow and Kline, however.

“Our sole reason for doing it was to try to eradicate the problems so others wouldn’t have to suffer the same embarrassment and problems we did,” Wedow said.

U.S. District Judge Ortrie Smith had earlier denied the same request, based on the city’s plan to improve facilities for female workers.