Merrylands will be one of seven stations to be upgraded to provide fit-for-purpose amenities – meaning better and more functional facilities.
Vita Simon and Lee Bennett, two on-call fire fighters who have been on the job at Merrylands for 12 months, say the changes will help them respond quicker to emergencies and make them feel more included at the station.
Ms Simon said “it’s been a little tight” while Ms Bennett “it’s a bit squishy”, but with more room, the quicker they can get their fire-fighting gear on and can respond to jobs in a more timely manner.
Treasurer Matt Kean and Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience, Steph Cooke, joined Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Commissioner Paul Baxter at Merrylands to make the announcement last week.
Mr Kean said work would focus on 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.”
Commissioner Baxter said the upgrade would help improve workplace conditions for all firefighters by providing men and women with private, separate facilities to ensure people feel comfortable at work.
Design work for the Merrylands Fire Station upgrade has been completed and construction will commence in May.
