There’s so many different things to see at The Sydney Royal Easter Show it’s quite easy to miss out! Owen met the team from Fire and Rescue NSW, and spoke with Station Office Bronnie Mackintosh.

Bronnie Mackintosh is a Station Officer with Fire and Rescue NSW and has been a firefighter for over 16 years. Her career has encompassed many roles, spanning general firefighting, rescue, operational communications, community safety, and education and training.

She travelled the world to research how international fire agencies are changing their workforces to be more reflective of the diverse communities they protect.  She found that girls fire camps in the US were proving an excellent way to introduce, and recruit, young women to the firefighting and emergency services. When Bronnie returned home to Australia, she founded Girls on Fire. With a team of volunteers from across the emergency services, she runs girls fire camps and the girls fire academy in NSW.

Before becoming a firefighter, Bronnie was a passionate rugby union player, competing around the globe and in 15 test matches for the Australian Women’s team, the Wallaroos.

Bronnie Mackintosh TED talk

“We do more than just fight fires”. In this engaging short talk at TEDxSydney, firefighter Bronnie Mackintosh explains that a diverse Fire and Rescue workforce, one that truly reflects the society we live in, is vital for our safety.