My Account
History was made at Wellsford Fire Station last month when Tarah Jones was appointed the volunteer fire brigade’s first female Station Officer. The promotion means Tarah will be in charge of the fire truck and crew, take full responsibility on callouts. The mother of four said the new role had taken a lot of hard work. “I’m stoked to be the first female station officer, just to prove it can be done and I encourage other women to get that high in the brigade,” she said. Tarah is pictured receiving with her new red station officer’s helmet from Wellsford Fire Chief John Cowpland.
A while after Jennie Burt moved out from the city to a rural property near Matakana, something occurred to her.
“I just thought, ‘Ooh, I wonder what would happen if my house burned down here? Who’d save it?’” she says.
Realising that rural fire protection relied on volunteers, and living a few doors down from the Matakana station, she decided to see if she could help out.
“I called in and said, ‘Do you take people like me?’ And they said, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ I said,
‘Well, I’m female’. I had no idea if I could be of any use.”
The swift response was that, providing she could pass a medical, she absolutely could be, and so began a rewarding five-year stint with the brigade.
Jennie’s initial doubts as to whether she could join up or play a useful role are not uncommon. This, along with the demands of balancing work and family, concerns about the skills required for firefighting, or the effects of attending what can sometimes be traumatic events can all play a part in causing potential recruits to hesitate from volunteering.
But there are plenty of women locally, of all ages and backgrounds, quietly proving that being a fire service volunteer is not only possible, but rewarding and fulfilling, too. Wellsford has one of the highest levels of female recruitment in the district, with 10 women members out of a crew of around 30. They range in age from just out of school to approaching retirement and do everything from admin and support up to being in charge.
Firefighter Ariana Billington is a recent recruit to the Wellsford crew after moving up from Warkworth, whose brigade she joined three years ago at a friend’s suggestion.
“I didn’t realise that anyone can join and as long as you pass the medical and get accepted, there are no limitations. And there are always jobs to do if you can’t be a firefighter,” she said.
With a full-time job in Auckland and children at school, it takes some juggling, but she says it is worth it.
“Once you have a taste of it, it’s pretty hard to let go. One condition of moving was we had to be within callout distance form a fire station,” she says. “It’s so rewarding just being able to help. And having three daughters, it’s great being able to be a role model for them.”
Trish Whitehead has been in the fire service for 19 years. She says that while there can be added pressures for women, the volunteer fire service offers great support and never forces anyone, male or female, into a role they’re uncomfortable with.
“We all have our own strengths,” she says. “Some don’t mind roadside rescue, others can’t bear it, but there’s always something to do. If you’re not comfortable with one aspect, we’ll find you a job somewhere else.”
Brigades readily accept that volunteers have demands on their time and are flexible, says Isabelle Franks at Matakana.
“I’ve got three children still at home and school, so there are times when I just can’t come to a callout,” she says. “You do what you can.”
– Volunteers are always needed. To find out more, contact your local fire brigade or visit fireandemergency.nz/volunteering/with-us/
