The fire and rescue station at Bombala in the Snowy Monaro of New South Wales is breaking down barriers and opening the doors on diversity by welcoming five female retained firefighters into its crew of 11.
Tammie Anderson said she always wanted to be a firefighter but never had the guts to do it.
"We don't see ourselves as any different. Crew members at the station have shown their support and professionalism towards us," she said.
"Diversity has always been welcomed."
A traumatic experience led Jade Crouch to join the ranks and become a firefighter.
At the age of 12, Jade was sexually assaulted and said the emergency service workers that came to her aide comforted her during her life's darkest moment.
"They made my worst day that little bit better," she said.
"So I want to be able to do that for all people that might be experiencing similar circumstances."
'I've developed new skills'
Fire and Rescue NSW says female firefighters have been on the frontline of the organisation since 1984.
Its 2018–19 annual report revealed that the organisation was made up of 8 per cent of retained female firefighters, which was a slight improvement compared to the previous years.
Erin Donnelly is a new recruit in Bombala and is proud to see more women on the frontline.
"I always thought it's a heavily male-dominated industry, but it didn't deter me from joining," she said.
"So far, I've developed new skills physically and mentally."
As a new retained firefighter, Rebecca Richardson believes inspiring young girls and women is an important reason for ensuring gender equality within the emergency service organisation.
"It's really great for the community to see females in those roles — it really makes me feel confident and empowering," she said.
Over the years, the station has made some changes to be more female friendly, including installing a private change room for the female firefighters.
The experience of being a female firefighter has been rewarding and challenging for Ms Crouch, Ms Anderson, Ms Donnelly, Ms Richardson and Emily Phillips.
"If you're thinking of becoming a firefighter, visit your local station," Ms Crouch said.
"Even if you're a parent or a full-time worker, they [the organisation] can help you work around your lifestyle."
The female crew are encouraging the next generation of young people who may be interested in joining any emergency organisation to get involved.
"Do it, don't think about it, don't second guess it. ," Ms Donnelly said.
"If you want to do it, you can."
