Victoria Fire and Resilience program attracts headlines

Firefighter Bronnie Mackintosh (centre) with camp participants (from left) Bridie Newman, Caitlin Weppner, Claire Schultz and Annabelle Forsyth.CREDIT:JASON SOUTH

The Girls on Fire team are humbled and grateful for all the recent coverage from our first ever Victorian Fire and Resilience Program.

Here is a snippet of the great coverage we received.

Creswick hosts first teen girls’ fire careers program (paywall)

Creswick has been chosen to trial a new program to encourage more teenage girls to take up firefighting and other emergency services work. Thanks to senior journalist Gabrielle Hodson from the Courier and photographer Adam Trafford.

Camp ignites girls’ passion for a future in firefighting

Professional firefighter Bronnie Mackintosh could not let the stereotype go unchallenged, that to be a firefighter in Australia you need to be “a burly man”.

The former Wallaroos rugby player decided that rather than focus solely on pushing herself up the career ladder, she would put into action her desire to see more women get a place in fire and rescue services by igniting the passion of girls. A stellar piece from Wendy Tuohy from the Age, a senior writer focusing on social issues and those impacting women and girls.

Girls on Fire camp aims to close the gender gap in firefighting, emergency services

The Victorian School of Forestry in Creswick hosted the state’s first edition of camp over the weekend, with 10 girls from around the region attending.

“We’ve been using the fire and emergency services, skills and operations as a platform to teach these young women to have the confidence to step forward in any emergencies,” Ms Mackintosh said. Thanks so much to ABC’s Rio Davis for making us so welcome.

We also had the pleasure of having one of our program participants talk to Steve Martin on the morning show at ABC Ballarat about her experiences.

Victoria, we will be back!

We loved the enthusiasm and how readily the young people and fire and emergency service volunteers adopted Girls on Fire. You made us feel extremely welcome. Special hit tip goes to the Victorian Country Fire Association CFA for their unreserved and amazing support. Thank you for making our maiden voyage with our Fire and Resilience program such a roaring success in Victoria.

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