Wanted: More Female Firefighters in NSW

If you’re looking for a challenging and rewarding career, Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is launching its 2014 permanent firefighter recruitment drive on Thursday, 30th January. Currently only 4% of firefighters are female but FRNSW – one of the world’s largest career fire and rescue services – wants to change all that.

Senior Firefighter Tara Lal is the only female on her shift at Woollahra Fire Station. She’s been a firefighter for nearly nine years and is also a physiotherapist with her own mobile physiotherapy business because the nature of her shifts allows her to do both. Firefighter Lal says that it was an incredibly physical job and said she had to work hard to maintain her strength and fitness levels but she loves it! According to her, every day is an adventure.

Then there’s 24-year-old Firefighter Casey Burgess. She’s been a firefighter at Lidcombe Fire Station for a year and she’s just graduated as a teacher. Firefighter Bronnie Mackintosh has played college rugby in the United States and is now a rescue trainer for Fire & Rescue NSW.

Erin Pogmore, 31, is only five foot three inches tall and weighs just over 50kgs but she’s loving her job as a firefighter at Redfern Fire Station. Firefighter Pogmore has fought some of the fiercest blazes we’ve seen in this country over the past six months, including the Blue Mountains bushfires in October and the paper mill fire at Matraville that burnt for several days.

All these women are incredibly fit and healthy (they have to be to do the job) but it is the active nature of the job that attracted them to a career as a firefighter in the first place.

Commissioner Greg Mullins said he wanted the people of NSW to continue to be served by a
modern and dynamic firefighting workforce who reflected the diversity, culture and skills of
our society. FRNSW is .

“I want men and women from around the country, including indigenous communities and
people of all cultural backgrounds, as well as those with life experience who are looking for a
career change, to step forward and apply,” he said.

“Firefighting is one of the most important and rewarding careers you could have. Firefighters are respected community members; and being a firefighter provides you with the opportunity to make a real and ongoing difference to the lives of the people of NSW.”

Online applications will be open from 30 January until 13 February 2014.

In the lead up to the recruitment launch, there will be information sessions held across Sydney including two women’s information sessions on 20th and 29th January.

• Monday, 20 January – Women’s information session (6pm-8pm, Wesley Conference Centre, Sydney)
• Tuesday, 21 January – General information session (3-5pm, Parramatta Leagues Club)
• Tuesday, 21 January – General information session (6-8pm, Parramatta Leagues Club)
• Thursday, 23 January – Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders and community members of different cultural backgrounds information session (6-8pm,Rooty Hill RSL)
• Wednesday, 29 January – Women’s information session (3-5pm, Cronulla Leagues Club)
• Wednesday, 29 January – General information session (6-8pm, Cronulla Leagues Club)

Candidates will have to complete an online application and undergo a series of tests based on the capabilities and values of FRNSW.

For more information visit the website www.fire.nsw.gov.au