Celebrating our incredible women of CFA

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CFA member Natalie Thresher

CFA is celebrating its thousands of women members this International Women’s Day who dedicate their lives to protecting others every day.

This year’s theme Accelerate Action is about creating a gender equal world, which CFA acknowledges through its women who make up 24 percent of our volunteer base, 14 percent of those in brigade leadership roles.

Chirnside Park Fire Brigade volunteer Natalie Thresher, who recently marked 10 years of volunteering with CFA, said the past decade has taught her resilience and strength that she didn’t know was possible.

“I’ve been part of CFA longer than I was a teenager, longer than I was at any school and longer that I’ve worked at any job,” Natalie said.

“It’s been challenging, it’s been confronting and rewarding, it has shaped me and brought me great pride.

“It has solidified the broad definition of family, there is nothing within CFA that can be done alone and there have been so many people along the way that have built me up and contributed to my success.”

CFA has many strong women educators across the state, with Natalie coordinating state run driving courses in her full-time role as a CFA staff member. Natalie said she has always felt well supported and valued in both her roles as a volunteer and staff member.

“I’ve never had issues because of my gender, I’ve never had any walls put up, I’ve always been accepted as an individual,” Natalie said.

“There are so many different elements of being a CFA member that we need everyone to be a part of. Everyone has a strength which can be utilised at CFA.

“I feel lucky to be part of the CFA community and I feel very included. I’m proud of the team.”

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a chance to recognise the steps taken, acknowledge the work we have to do and celebrate the contributions that women make to society globally.

CFA volunteer and General Manager of Infrastructure Services Paul Santamaria was named the joint winner of the Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award at today’s Emergency Services Foundation IWD event. Paul received this award for his leadership in all his roles at CFA, including the Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee where he champions what it means to recognise individuality, inclusivity and deliver programs across CFA that are free of bias and equitable for all.

CFA’s Young Leaders Mentoring Program also received an encouragement award in the Gender Inclusivity Initiative section for equipping young volunteers with essential leadership and management skills, preparing them for future leadership roles within CFA.

CFA CEO Greg Leach said Paul’s award and the encouragement award were incredible achievements which showcase CFA’s ongoing dedication and commitment to providing a safe, inclusive and supportive environment.

“CFA has implemented a number of programs over the past few years to ensure CFA women are given the opportunity to thrive,” Greg said.

“The first female-only Driver Education Course was held last year, with six women successfully completing the course. These women are now qualified to deliver driver training to brigades in their area and across the state, further boosting CFA’s high-class training for our members.

“Women’s challenge camps are now rolling out across the state, encouraging women to step outside their comfort zone, learn new skills and build relationships with others across their region.

“During the recent fires in the west of the state, it was pleasing to see and hear countless stories of women leading the charge on Strike Teams and at Incident Control Centres, coming from across the state to help protect those communities during a challenging time.

“Our women often say they don’t see themselves as different to their male peers. They’re not ‘a women firefighter’, they’re just ‘a firefighter’. And that’s exactly how we hope every woman in CFA feels about their role in this organisation.

“Our members are highly skilled and trained individuals with the same goal – to protect life and property.

“We will always have work to do to build a better world for women and gender diverse people but CFA has so much to be proud of and I look forward to guiding and supporting this great organisation in continuing this valuable work.”

To find out more about International Women’s Day, click here.