Kylie Davis with Acting Chief Officer Gavin Thompson
A North West CFA Captain has been honoured as one of the first recipients of the Chief Officer Emerging Leader Award at the 2022 Spirit of CFA Awards.
Eaglehawk Captain Kylie Davis was a dual winner of the award alongside Port Campbell Fire Brigade’s Katy Millard.
Captain Davis said it was a great shock when she first heard she was nominated for the award, which acknowledges the importance of fostering future leaders that exemplify innovation and inclusiveness in driving CFA forward into the future.
“It’s an honour to be recognised, but I’m not the only one who does everything,” she said.
“As a captain, I’m only as good as the brigade management team, our officers and the brigade around me. It makes it a lot easier when you’ve got good members to support you.”
Captain Davis said the Emerging Leader Award is recognition that she is on the right track in her development as a strong leader.
“To me, leadership is not just about standing at the front and directing,” said Captain Davis.
“It’s also about having a quiet word to someone and seeing if they’re OK, recognising the members who might be quiet achievers as well, and surrounding yourself with a good network of people to run things by when making decisions.”
The Spirit of CFA Awards recognise the outstanding achievements and significant contributions made by CFA staff and volunteers to both the organisation and local communities across the state.
The biennial awards were first held in 2018, with the 2020 event postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and held concurrently with this year’s ceremony.
Acting Chief Officer Gavin Thompson nominated Kylie for the new award and said she has done a wonderful job rebuilding the brigade’s morale and response capability after a difficult period.
“She has led the brigade back to a stable, strong dynamic brigade that is growing in membership,” A/CO Thompson said.
“Kylie should be proud of what she has achieved, and I look forward to watching her continue to shine as a CFA leader.
“CFA is incredibly proud of its volunteers and staff, and it is great to see Kylie along with all our members recognised for their contributions to both our organisation and local communities.”