Breaking Barriers Battling Blazes | Temporary Exhibition
Sat, 08 Mar
|Museum of Fire
Breaking Barriers Battling Blazes: A History of Women Firefighters showcases the history of women within Fire and Rescue NSW to celebrate 40 years since women were permitted to join the Fire Brigade as firefighters.
Time & Location
08 Mar 2025, 9:30 am – 23 Nov 2025, 4:30 pm
Museum of Fire, 1 Museum Dr, Penrith NSW 2750, Australia
About the event
Opening on International Women's Day, Breaking Barriers Battling Blazes: A History of Women Firefighters showcases the history of women within Fire and Rescue NSW to celebrate 40 years since women were permitted to join the Fire Brigade as firefighters.
Women have always had a role to play in the fire protection of New South Wales (NSW). In many instances, it was the women who ‘manned’ the phone and sounded the alarm to alert the brigade to emergencies. The reason for this was that, especially in remote and regional NSW, the men would be away from home (or the fire station) attending their place of work, so their wives and daughters were tasked with being on hand to take any emergency calls. These women would then sound the alarm, which would notify the men that they were required to jump to action.
Whilst firefighting would continue to be a male only…