DistantNews
Support us
🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Camp to boost female firefighter participation ditched after one year

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A Queensland firefighting camp aimed at encouraging young girls to consider the career has been canceled after only one year, despite winning an award and receiving significant interest.
  • The program, which provided hands-on experience in firefighting activities, was praised for its success in challenging the perception of firefighting as a male-dominated profession.
  • The decision to scrap the camp comes as the Queensland Fire Department continues to face low numbers of women in frontline roles, with women making up only 5% of permanent firefighters.

An award-winning Queensland firefighting camp designed to inspire young girls to join the profession has been abruptly canceled after just one year of operation. The Queensland Fire Department's Girls Firefighter Experience Camp, which operated under the motto "to be it you have to be able to see it," had been hailed as a success by senior leaders and even received a Commissioner's Award for Excellence in 2025.

to be it you have to be able to see it

— Queensland Fire Department's Girls Firefighter Experience CampMotto of the camp aimed at encouraging young girls to consider firefighting as a career.

Despite strong interest from schools and a waiting list for a second round, the free weekend camp, held in June 2024 for students in years 9 and 10, will not return. Participants engaged in activities like simulated road crashes, swiftwater rescues, and physical fitness training. Firefighters involved described a "real buzz" around the initiative, calling it a "practical, low-cost initiative to enliven thoughts of girls who may choose firefighting as a future career."

The cancellation is particularly notable given the persistent challenge the Queensland Fire Department faces in recruiting women. As of June 28, 2026, women constituted a mere 5% of permanent firefighters. In 2026, only 4.7% of new permanent recruits were women, a figure that dropped to 2.10% in 2025. This decline occurs despite efforts to address the perception of firefighting as a job exclusively for men, a perception exacerbated by past allegations of sexism and discrimination within the department.

hugely successful

— Senior leadersDescription of the camp by senior leaders within the Queensland Fire Department.

Sources within the department expressed confusion and disappointment over the camp's discontinuation, questioning the decision in favor of "aloof consultatory projects." They emphasized the importance of diversity in frontline roles, noting that firefighters engage in community safety and education, requiring representation that mirrors the communities they serve. The current recruitment pool, they claim, is largely composed of "white men in their 20s from a military or trade background."

Why would QFD dismiss this in favour of more aloof consultatory projects?

— QFD sourceA source within the Queensland Fire Department questioning the decision to cancel the camp.

A spokesperson for the QFD stated that the department is "working to explore further initiatives to promote firefighting careers for women, including continuing the strong representation of women and people from diverse backgrounds in recruitment materials." However, the decision to end the successful camp leaves a significant gap in direct, hands-on engagement with potential female recruits.

real buzz

— FirefighterA firefighter describing the atmosphere and engagement at the camp.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog