The number of women career firefighters in Victoria is set to increase.
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A new recruitment campaign seeks to boost diversity in the Country Fire Authority and MFB, with a goal of 400 female firefighters by 2021.
Only two of the 40 career firefighters employed at the Bendigo Fire Station are women.
The rest of the region’s CFA brigades are volunteer-led.
The joint CFA-MFB recruitment campaign aims to hire 450 new firefighters, who will be stationed in Melbourne’s outer suburbs and major regional centres.
It is not yet known how many of those new staff would be based in Bendigo.
The CFA said Victoria’s fire services welcomed all candidates from all backgrounds.
“We believe our fire services should reflect the diverse communities they serve and that’s why we are actively looking to recruit more women and people from diverse backgrounds into our ranks,” the organisation said in a statement.
Population growth was also cited as a motivation for the campaign.
“As our community continues to grow, our fire services must grow as well,” the CFA said.
An advertising campaign will highlight the skills involved in the role.
“A career as a Victorian firefighter is a career that is dedicated to saving lives and protecting communities,” Emergency Services Minister James Merlino said.
“Victoria’s training course is the best in the country, with recruits taught how to respond to emergencies in all types of circumstances and terrain.”
The new recruits will complete a 20-week training course at the Victorian Emergency Management Training Centre in Craigieburn.
They will also receive training in Emergency Medical Response.
The collaborative recruitment campaign and is a first for both the MFB and the CFA, and is supported by the United Firefighters Union.
Applications open on February 12. For more information about the campaign, visit www.firefighter.vic.gov.au.