An equal proportion of male and female members is still a distant prospect for the Country Fire Authority, whose northern fire stations have just 10 per cent of women in their ranks.
And according to figures published online, women account for just 14 per cent of the CFA’s operational membership.
But it’s something the organisation is trying to change. A directive to that effect has been issued from the highest ranks – by chief officer Euan Ferguson, who is behind campaigns such as Celebrating CFA Women, which honoured female volunteers on International Women’s Day in March, and a “women in leadership” push.
“CFA is very diverse, particularly in its volunteer base, but there’s a real under-representation of women in what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry,” Mr Ferguson said. “It’s an issue we’re determined to address.”
According to a CFA spokeswoman, about 10 per cent of its Craigieburn, Epping, Wollert, Whittlesea and South Morang members are female, half the average of the rest of the CFA.
She said the CFA was “implementing strategies to attract more women to operational and non-operations roles.” But while female representation may be low, there is a record number of female captains across the state.
First Lieutenant Loretta Martin, 42, of the Greenvale fire brigade, is the most senior volunteer officer in Hume. The Greenvale resident is also the station’s treasurer and essentially does the same work as the station’s captain, but in a volunteer capacity. She said while there were just two women in the brigade, “the guys don’t treat us any differently”.
“There are no barriers … I do the same work the guys do, probably more”.
