This comes as the CFA honoured its 13,000 women members on Thursday, October 15 – the International Day of Rural Women.
On this day each year, the organisation recognises the dedication of the women who are at the heart of Victoria’s regional communities.
The newly elected Strathbogie Fire Brigade captain, Dana Last, recently attended one of the CFA’s Women’s Challenge camps, one of the many ways to build women’s networking across the organisation, and is a strong advocate for the need to have a safe space for women to gather.
Ms Last said she’d like to see more females in leadership roles.
“I went to the first north-east Women’s Challenge camp and had an incredible time. The panel of speakers were so inspiring and the challenges themselves were a huge confidence boost,” she said.
“I went to the next camp as a leader, hoping to inspire other women to progress further in CFA.”
She said she hoped to become more involved in orchestrating camps in the future.
“To have the ability to network with other women and to see those women making waves within their brigades and within CFA is really important,” Ms Last said.
“It’s a wonderful feeling of sisterhood.”
Deputy chief officer of North East Region and International Day of Rural Women sponsor Gavin Thompson said recognising and celebrating the contributions of women should be a year-round commitment for both the CFA and the wider community.
“Women are the heart of our communities, balancing countless responsibilities while also helping local towns thrive,” Mr Thompson said.
“Today is more than a date on the calendar, it’s a call to action to ensure our communities reflect the values of equity, opportunity and respect.
“I’m proud to see women like Dana being elected as leaders in their brigades. I hope the work CFA is continuously doing to empower women encourages more women to strive for the same goal.”
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