Mr Amos said around 14 per cent of fire brigade volunteers are women across Australia, however at the Echuca brigade, that number has hit 29 per cent and continues to climb.
“We are very proud to be more than double the national average; but is that good enough? Not at all,” Mr Amos said.
“While we are delighted to see more women joining our brigade, just as the theme for IWD goes this year, ‘we would all still like to imagine a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination’.
“Its organisers say they want a world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive, where difference is valued and celebrated.
“Determined that collectively, we can all #BreakTheBias.”
Laurelin Berick joined the Echuca CFA six months ago when she moved to town from Melbourne and said the unit is like a family.
She said she hopes to see other women join her at Echuca CFA.
“Traditionally, most people look into the CFA and think that it’s a man’s job,” Ms Berick said.
“What we want is women to be able to look at the CFA and go ‘it’s something that I’m interested in, I won’t let the stereotype of it being a man’s job stop me’.”
“International women’s day is all about women giving things a go where once they might have their own biases.”
Ms Berick pointed to female CFA CEO Margaret Franklin as an example of how the organisation is breaking the bias from the top down.
She said people who want to join the CFA don’t have to be involved with fighting fires, with the organisation doing far more than that — including fundraising, doing equipment checks, working with other emergency services and playing a vital role within the community.
“Anybody can get involved with that,” she said. “If that’s something you are passionate about there is a place for you in an organisation like the CFA.”
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