At the age of just 21, firefighter Matilda Taylor has been appointed Deputy Captain at Toukley Fire Station.
She will share the position with Deputy Captain Brooke Hayes who has been in the role for 18 months.
The promotion makes Taylor one of the youngest people to achieve the rank of Deputy Captain at Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW), and certainly the youngest to do so at Toukley Fire Station.
Taylor joined FRNSW in 2021 as an 18-year-old firefighter, taking on various leadership opportunities along the way.
Toukley Captain Ben Williams praised her for her positive attitude and willingness to take on new opportunities.
“In such a short time, Matilda has really grown and matured into a capable firefighter and now station leader,” he said.
“She just kept putting her hand up for more and more responsibilities, which she thrives on, and has taken on every opportunity that’s come her way.
“Matilda is fast becoming a mentor to those around her and is already seen by her peers as a capable incident controller.”
Taylor said she was excited by the prospect of taking on more of a leadership role at the station.
“It’s a privilege and a responsibility I don’t take lightly,” she said.
“Most of my crew are older than me and have a lot more life experience than I do, but they make me feel so supported and just want to see me do well.
“I’m excited to learn as much as possible so I can better support my community.”
Taylor said a highlight of her work as an on-call firefighter was being able to make her community feel safe.
“Our community is really tight-knit, so knowing that I can help someone that I might know, and even make their day, is something that drives me,” she said.
“Seeing Brooke, another female firefighter, thriving as deputy captain was a real motivation for me and made me believe that I could do it too.”
The team hopes other young women will be encouraged to apply to become a firefighter after seeing strong local women leading the way.
“We’re currently recruiting for firefighters to join the team and welcome any interest or questions from the community,” Captain Williams said.
For more information about becoming an on-call firefighter visit careers.fire.nsw.gov.au/on-call-firefighting