A memorable moment was visiting a small town’s shopping centre and hearing a loud and long siren. A few moments later, people could be seen rushing outside their workplace – they were volunteer firefighters who had ‘downed tools’ to race to the local fire station to board the town’s fire engine. The faces of those watching showed concern for those requiring the emergency help and admiration for the responders who were both men and women.

Let's find out more about New Zealand's fire service and the journey taken by women to join men as firefighters.

Key milestones:

New Zealand's first volunteer fire services were founded in the 1850s with males as firefighters. During WWII, with many men serving overseas, a number of women became part of the Women's Auxiliary services to support the war effort. They worked in a variety of traditional male roles including firefighting.  In the post-war era, women have increasingly become volunteer firefighters. Although professional training schools for firefighters first opened in 1950, women were not recognised as being eligible to become career firefighters until 1979 by the United Fire Brigades’ Association (UFBA). As well as becoming the first female career firefighters in NZ, the first two women to complete the course in 1981 were also the first in Australasia.

Nowadays, women occupy a mix of paid full-time, paid on-call and volunteer roles with Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ).  It was reported in the Otago Daily Times (22 Jan 2022): "Nationally, we have 95 career female firefighters and nearly 2500 female volunteers [including firefighters, operational support and brigade support]. This is around 5.5% of career firefighters and around 20% of our volunteers."  Other organisations that employ firefighters include airport authorities and the New Zealand Air Force. There are also industrial fire brigades at oil refineries, timber and steel mills, freezing works and large factories where fire is a risk.  

Backstory:

The following explores the journey for establishing fire brigades in NZ and women joining men in becoming firefighters:

A.   1840s -1930s: Firefighting traditionally a male role 

B.   WWII onwards: Women become volunteer firefighters 

C.  1981 onwards: Women become professionally trained firefighters

D.  Developments in NZ Fire Service, 2000 onwards 

E.  Nowadays: Women as career & volunteer firefighters  

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A. 1840s-1930s: Firefighting traditionally a male role

1840s:  Fire bells rung by anyone

1850s - 1860s: Volunteer fire brigades established in main centres

1870s: Fire Inspectors appointed & some firefighters paid

1900s-1930s: Motorised fire engines, fire boards, & new alarm systems

B. WWII onwards: Women as volunteer firefighters

During World War II, women were trained to carry out fire fighting duties, to take the place of male firefighters serving overseas. The women were from various divisions of the Women’s Auxiliary services, such as WWSA (Women’s War Service Auxiliary) who were formed in 1940 and were the forerunner of the the WAAC (Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps) formed in  July 1942. 

Post-WWII:

1950s: 

The first national training school for firefighters was established at Island Bay, Wellington in 1950, followed by a second training school opening in Auckland in 1967. Both training schools were superseded by the National Training Centre that opened in Rotorua in 2006.  

1960S:

1970s:

The following insight into the developments during the 1970s for women firefighters is given by Fire Emergency New Zealand: History: 1970s - The battle for the recognition of women's services:

"The 1970s brought significant change. Women were increasingly turning out for short crewed brigades, and they were being employed by brigades in watch rooms and communications centers. At this time, the women of the Piha Volunteer Fire Brigade attended fire calls, but they did not have uniforms as women were not officially allowed to join the Brigade.In 1970, Hastings Fire Brigade employed Vanessa Beattie as a watch-room attendant, reputedly the first woman to be employed in this role in New Zealand" 

Brunner VFB sought to have the service of their female members recognised by the United Fire Brigades’ Association (UFBA), tabling the motion at the UFBA conference in 1972 to enable women to be recognised as members of brigades. The remit was lost, and the following year it was resubmitted by the Matamata VFB. Again the motion did not pass. It was stated that it “was considered inappropriate that women should be fulfilling the traditional fireman’s role”. Brunner VFB tried again in 1975, and the UFBA sought a response from the NZFS Commission who were adamant that there was no place for women in Fire Services.

In 1979 a slightly altered remit was again submitted to the UFBA, and this time it was passed – the service of female firefighters was now recognised by the UFBA."

Furthermore, in 1979,  "A number of women compete for the first time in New Zealand at a provincial United Fire Brigades Waterways Competition – Tokomaru Bay, East Coast. "

C. 1981: Women become professional firefighters

The following milestones were achieved for women as career firefighters:

July 1981 - Sapper Jan Graham of the Royal New Zealand Engineers becomes the NZ Army’s first full time female firefighter.

27 July 1981 - Anne Barry is allowed to apply to join the NZ Fire Service as a career fire fighter. In 1975, Anne had joined the fire service communications control room as a despatcher. Deciding she would like to be a responder, Anne submitted an application for the recruitment course in 1979 but her application was declined. After taking her case to the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Human Rights Commission and to members of Parliament, she was accepted for the recruitment course. 

4 Nov 1981 - Anne Barry and Elizabeth England complete the NZ Fire Service recruit course, with overall placings of 3rd and 2nd respectively, becoming New Zealand’s first female career firefighters, and the first female career fire fighters in Australasia.

1985 - Julie Croswell becomes NZ’s 3rd female career firefighter.

1988 - Nella Booth becomes NZ’s 4th female career firefighter.

2001 - Melanie Horne becomes the first woman to win the top recruit award. 

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand: History - 1980s & 2001

Professional firefighters' union, 1988 -

D:  Developments in NZ Fire Service, 2000 onwards 

Women firefighters form network, 2001 - 

In 2001, a small group of career female firefighters met in Auckland and formed New Zealand Fire Service Women (NZFSW). The aim was to encourage women to network and share experiences, ideas and peer support.  The women's network group evolved into becoming Women in Fire and Emergency New Zealand (WFENZ) in 2016 with representatives from each region including rural women. Each Regional Women's Advisory Networks (RWAN) has two representatives -  one volunteer and one career staff. A National Women’s Advisory Committee (NWAC) was established and representation included on the board of Women and Firefighting Australasia (WAFA).   

Firewise education for school students, 2001 -

New national training centre opened at Rotorua, 2006

Fire safety regulations updated, 2006

NZ Fire Service organised into 8 regions, 2009

Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017

Two reviews of NZ's urban and rural fire services were undertaken between 2012 and 2015. The outcome was the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017 which combined urban and rural fire services into a single, integrated fire and emergency services organisation – Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ).  The Executive Leadership Team (ELT) is accountable to the FENZ Board for the leadership and management of Fire and Emergency New Zealand. The Board members are appointed by the Minister of Internal Affairs.   

D.  NOWADAYS: WOMEN AS CAREER & VOLUNTEER       FIREFIGHTERS

Since 1981, women occupy a mix of career roles (paid full-time, or on-call) and volunteer roles with Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ). Increasingly, women are being appointed to various operational roles, as seen in the following article, "History made at Silverdale Fire Brigade" Local Matters (16 July 2018):

 "The appointment of volunteer firefighter Sarah Capon as station officer at Silverdale Fire Brigade is seen as a key moment in the brigade’s 66-year history. Sarah, who took up the level officer role on June 27, is now the first female fire officer to be appointed on the Hibiscus Coast.  She is one of six female volunteers at the station – this is the largest number of women that the Silverdale station has ever had, making up 15 percent of the total volunteers."    

Recognition for role of women as firefighters:

Milestones for women firefighters include the following appointments and Queen's Birthday Honours:

July 1993 - First female Chief Fire Officer (CFO):  Christine Hewson was appointed as Chief of the Lake Hawea Volunteer Fire Brigade. She had joined the Brigade in May 1979, and became Station Officer in 1989.

1999 - First Māori female CFO: Allana Ranui was appointed CFO for the Murupara Volunteer Fire Brigade. 

1999-2001 - Acting Chief Executive: Alison Timms was appointed as acting Chief Executive of the New Zealand Fire Service.  

28 April 2001 - Gold Star recipient: Rosemary Higgins becomes NZ's first female 25 year recipient. She had joined the Hamilton Fire Brigade in the Communications Centre in 1975.    

Sept 2008 - First female Station Officer (SO):  Rochelle Martin was first female career operational firefighter to hold the rank of Station Officer (SO). Between 2008 and 2015 the number of women appointed to the rank of career SO rose to six. 

2014 -  National ‘Pride of New Zealand’ Emergency Services Award: CFO Maera Anderson from the Murupara Volunteer Fire Brigade for serving for 26 years in the Brigade, and reviving the neighbouring Kaiangaroa Volunteer Fire Brigade. 

Nov 2015 - First female career Senior Station Officer (SSO): Rochelle Martin was appointed.

Dec 2017 - Huia Volunteer Fire Brigade’s first female Deputy CFO:  Coryn Laloli 

Dec 2017 - Piha Volunteer Fire Brigade’s first female CFO: Helen Edmonds.

Jan 2018 - Waikanae Volunteer Fire Brigade’s first female CFO: Sarah Sundgren

Oct 2019 - Onewhero Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade’s first female Deputy CFO:  Bridget Dobbs.

Dec 2019 – Kumeu’s first female CFO: Bex Baddeley

March 2020 - Lawrence’s first female CFO: Jude Patterson 

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand: History

Ongoing recruitment drive for women:

By January 2009, the Fire Service had 51 female career firefighters out of a total of 1600, and 826 female volunteer firefighters out of 7500.  (Source: Taranaki Daily News (31 Jan 2009): "First lady firefighter tells it all")

Thirteen years later, it was reported in the Otago Daily Times (22 Jan 2022) that: "Nationally, we have 95 career female firefighters and nearly 2500 female volunteers [including firefighters, operational support and brigade support]. This is around 5.5% of career firefighters and around 20% of our volunteers."  

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FIND OUT MORE:

• Careers.govt.nz: Firefighter
• Fire and Emergency New Zealand: Work or volunteer for us
• Fire and Emergency New Zealand: https://www.fireandemergency.nz/ 
• United Fire Brigades' Association: http://www.ufba.org.nz/
• Nancy Swarbrick, 'Fires and fire services', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/fires-and-fire-services 
• Stuff.co.nz article (11 Jan 2021): Georgia Forrester, "'This is a privilege': How a female career firefighter is blazing her way up the ranks" 
• Stuff.co.nz article (25 Dec 2015): Blair Ensor, "Great-grandmother Penny Stewart loves fighting fires"
• YouTube video: Station Officer Kate Hill on why firefighting is a good job choice for young women considering career options (8:40 min)
• Stuff.co.nz news article (6 April 2013): Gwyneth Hyndman, "Woman chief blazes the way at Riverton"