Merrylands Fire Station is set to receive vital upgrades as part of the NSW Government’s $50 million investment aimed at supporting female firefighters.
Female amenities at seven priority fire stations, including Merrylands, will be modernised to encourage more women to become firefighters.
Speaking at Merrylands Fire Station, NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said the work will focus on creating new toilets, showers and change rooms to break down barriers that stop women becoming firefighters.
“No matter where a woman works, they should have access to appropriate facilities and this investment will ensure our fire stations offer that,” he said.
“Modernising our stations is a vital part of attracting more women to firefighting and strengthening our frontline emergency services.”
Only 10 per cent of Fire and Rescue NSW’s (FRNSWs) permanent firefighters and 13 per cent of on-call firefighters are women.
FRNSW Commissioner Paul Baxter welcomed the commitment from the NSW Government and said FRNSW is committed to creating a more inclusive work environment.
“This investment will help improve workplace conditions for all firefighters by providing men and women with private, separate facilities to ensure our people feel comfortable at work,” he said.
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said many fire stations across NSW were constructed decades ago and are not appropriate for a modern and diverse workforce.
“Every graduation it’s pleasing to see dozens more women joining the firefighting ranks, and as the State’s first female Emergency Services Minister, I’m immensely proud to be delivering a program that will make it easier for women of the future to follow their lead,” Cooke said.
When built in 1926, Merrylands Fire Station didn’t have any female amenities due to there being no female firefighters. Now, with four women working at the station and no designated change rooms they’re currently forced to get changed in a hallway.
Lee Bennett, who has been an on-call firefighter at Merrylands for 12 months now, said the upgrades will mean more space for her and her fellow female firefighters.
“At the moment, it’s a little bit squishy when we’re getting changed and we’re trying to respond to jobs,” she said.
“Having the extra space will make sure we’re responding to jobs in a more timely manner.”
Other stations that will receive prioritised upgrades include Coledale, Cooma, Merewether, Singleton, The Entrance and Thredbo. Design work for the Merrylands Fire Station upgrade has already been completed and construction is expected to commence in May.
The $50 million 2022-23 Budget investment will be rolled out over 10 years, with an additional 12 fire stations expected to be upgraded in the 2023-24 financial year.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.