Brenda Proctor has become the first woman to be appointed to a group leadership position in the St Arnaud Group.
In the recent 2018 elections Brenda was elected to the position of Deputy Group Officer of St Arnaud Group.
This follows positions as Brigade Community Safety Officer and Group Secretary for the 30 year member of Kooreh Fire Brigade.
Her time with Kooreh has seen her attend a variety of local fires, including as Incident Controller, as well as going away on strike teams to Gippsland, Beechworth (Black Saturday fires), and the Grampians fires.
Brenda was encouraged to apply by several leaders within the group due to her experience in strike teams.
“It was our Group Officer, Wayne Rourke, who thought I should apply for the position.” she said.
“He said you know how things work, you’ve been away to a few strike teams, and you’ve got a cool head - which I didn’t know I had!
“I applied, I was appointed and that was that.”
The news follows the appointment of Di Ostarcevic as Captain of Stuart Mill Brigade, making her the group’s first female Captain, and the appointments of woman in leadership positions at Kyneton, Gordon and Eurora brigades.
Brenda stops short of saying there is a changing of the guard taking place at CFA, but does say there is more and more credit being given to woman in brigades for the skills they bring.
“I think now there is recognition that there are women that can do these roles.
“I’ve never been pressured, I’ve just always jumped on the back of the truck with the boys, and that’s the way it’s been.
“If there’s any women out there thinking of going for a leadership role, if they think they’re up to it, give it a go.
“I know that I’m not perfect, none of us are, but if we don’t have a go then we’ll never know.
“If you’re prepared to have a go and you think you’re up to it, then you should apply, doesn’t matter if you’re a bloke or a woman.”