Captain hopes to inspire women this International Women's Day

Photo: Eildon Fire Brigade Captain Nicki Lund

 

This International Women’s Day, CFA Captain Nicki Lund is hoping to inspire other women to be leaders in their community.

 

Nicki joined the Eildon Fire Brigade more than 17 years ago and was the first woman in brigade history to be voted into Lieutenant and Captain positions.

“Being a Captain is something that I’m passionate about; I enjoy demonstrating strong leadership and guidance to all the brigade members,” she said.

“When my husband and I moved to Eildon, we wanted to give back to our community, so we joined the local brigade – since then, I’ve enjoyed the camaraderie with other brigade members and broader CFA.

“It’s great to be able to help the community, educate them and make them more resilient in emergencies.

“My goal as Captain has always been to ensure people are growing within the brigade and to inspire other people, especially women, to join CFA and build on their skills and knowledge.”

Women make up tens of thousands of volunteer and staff roles within CFA and are critically important to the organisation’s continued progress and service in protecting Victorian lives and property.

CFA has more than 4,300 women in operational volunteer roles and more than 7,410 women in non-operational volunteer support roles, as well as another 390 involved in CFA’s junior program.

Eildon Fire Brigade is the only CFA brigade in the state that has a fire boat to respond to on-water incidents.

“We are a versatile brigade that responds to a range of incidents,” Nicki said.

“Even recently, our brigade responded to a capsized boat and rescued eight people.

“My experience at CFA has been exciting and dynamic and it’s important for more women to get involved in brigades because they bring so many life skills to the emergency management environment.

“There’s also so much that women can get out of CFA – you can learn so many skills and take it back to the roles you play in your community.”

Nicki said there are so many opportunities and roles for women in CFA, urging those interested in joining to talk to their local brigade and follow their aspirations.

To join CFA, visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au/ volunteer.

For more information about International Women’s Day, visit www.internationalwomensday.com.

 

Submitted by	CFA Media