Station officer blazes a path

THE Tasmania Fire Service has promoted a woman to the distinguished rank of Station Officer for the first time.

Sandra Onn is now Tasmania’s highest ranking female firefighter after she was promoted at a ceremony at the Hobart Fire Station.

The rank of station officer is a leadership role within a brigade with the responsibility for running a fire station and commanding fire crews.

Station officer Onn graduated from the Tasmania Fire Service firefighter recruit course during 2009 and became a leading firefighter in 2015.

She said she was proud to be the first Tasmanian woman to reach the rank of station officer.

“I would like to be a confident leader and promote the fact that this is achievable to women out there,” she said.

Chief officer Chris Arnol said the promotion was a sign the Tasmania Fire Service was moving forward as an organisation. The Tasmania Fire Service has about 300 career firefighters, 13 of which are women.

“I would like to target around 50 ... female firefighters in our ranks,” Mr Arnol said.

“What we will do shortly is we will revisit our selection process to make sure that it is equitable.”

Station officer Onn will take up a role in the Building Fire Safety Unit of the Tasmania Fire Service. Adam Doran from the Hobart Fire Brigade and James Foster from the Launceston Fire Brigade have also been promoted to station officers.