• Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Point Cook Star

By Bridie Byrne

9th February 2010 11:05:18 AM

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One of the boys … CFA crew leader Belinda Craig is encouraging other women to join the CFA. 42353

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FIRE FIGHTER Belinda Craig is used to being treated as one of the boys.

The CFA crew leader can count on her fingers how many women don the yellow uniform at the Werribee brigade each week.

“There are about six females compared to 60 odd males,” she said.

Belinda has spent 21 years in the CFA, starting from learning the ropes to now being on the front line.

But she said some members of the public still thought she was a sandwich maker.

“They look at you dumb- founded because you are a girl,” she said.

“When you look at the trucks that go out, there might be one or two females on it.

“It’s slowly getting better with the number of female fighters.”

Belinda said she encouraged other girls to give back to the community at the CFA.

When she signed up as a junior to work alongside her parents, she was the only female.

Her dad has been in the brigade for the past 25 years and her mother is in the auxiliary.

“The boys will be there to cover your back no matter, but when your dad is there he will take care of you,” she said.

The 31-year-old has fought interstate bushfires, attends car accidents, house fires and will never forget the three trips she made to fight the Black Saturday bushfires.

Belinda was just as brave as her comrades when she ran into a house fire last year.

“There is not a lot of thought in it,” she said.

“You see someone trapped in the house and you go in to pull them out.

“They are all running out and we are running in.”

Belinda said due to dry conditions the main fire threat to Wyndham was fast running grass fires, particularly homes backing onto grasslands, paddocks or grassy parks and reserves.

Residents have been warned to clean leaves out of gutters, remove flammable items from around homes such as paper, boxes and crates and move woodpiles, fuel supplies and chemicals away from the house.

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