Author: WFS

Guest post by Alex Johnson

Fleur Lombard was the first woman firefighter to be killed in action in Britain since World War II. When she joined Avon Fire Brigade in November 1993, she was one of only eight women employed by the brigade.

New beginnings

Last year, the world completely changed. The coronavirus altered our plans to hold our 20th National Training and Development Event at the Fire Service College. And as key workers, our organisation and volunteer network was significantly impacted. To that end, we’re happy to announce we will be hosting a series of virtual events this year. Our first event takes place on Tuesday 16 February, 2021.

Our Women in the Fire Service UK Awards 2020 honoured remarkable individuals who have developed, encouraged and reinforced the role of women in the sector. Winners and runners-up in seven categories were selected from over 50 candidates across the UK. Below are their stories, which showcase their work towards equalities advancement, and their passion for community, and team spirit.

Last month we were proud to be involved with the #VisibleWikiWomen campaign organised by not-for-profit, Whose Knowledge. The initiative aims to give notable women the visibility and acknowledgment they deserve on Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia). To reach that goal, Whose Knowledge reach out to many organisations to participate, including women’s and feminist organizations.

Rebecca Meachin is the Women in the Fire Service Local Representative for Nottinghamshire, and has been a Firefighter at Stapleford Fire Station for the past two years. We were thrilled when Bec took on the role as a local rep in January. It was after attending the WFS training and development event in 2019 that she was inspired to get more involved.

Mandeep Bharaj attended the Women in the Fire Service national training and development event last year, and is a Business Analyst and Firefighter at West Midlands Fire Service. She is also a member of the Inspire WMFS support network. And if you missed out on the viral video they released on social media recently, it’s definitely worth watching!

We want to shine a light on our members—to tell their stories and highlight their achievements. Because we’re really proud of the skills that exist in our membership and grateful to those who help to support our work with yearly contributions. 

This month we showcase Amy Down, who joined as a member of Women in the Fire Service in 2019.

Nominations are now open for the Women in the Fire Service UK Awards 2020. The awards, which began in 2008, now have a brand new format.

Women in the Fire Service UK has launched a jobs board to highlight opportunities in the fire and rescue sector. As a result, the site allows employers who are corporate members to post current vacancies for free.