Women in emergency management unite for International Women’s Day 2020

ESF was thrilled to bring together women from across the sector to participate in this fabulous video clip to celebrate International Women’s Day 2020. It was produced by the VicPol Media Unit and will be used on social media and on the big screen at the MCG to acknowledge and celebrate the women in our sector as part of the ICC T20 pre game program.

Media Release

Media Release in PDF Format Women across the emergency management sector will be celebrated on International Women’s Day, at a special event hosted by Victoria’s Emergency Services Foundation. The International Women’s Day Forum, on Sunday 8 March, will be officially opened by Governor of Victoria the Hon. Linda Dessau AC, Patron of the Emergency Services Foundation. For the first time, it will bring together women from across Victoria’s emergency management sector to put a gender lens on the mental health and wellbeing of those women who serve and protect our state. “These are women who care deeply about our community, who contribute greatly to it and who are supported by their families to do this important work,” says Siusan MacKenzie, Emergency Services Foundation CEO. “These women make the difference between life and death every day, so it is deeply alarming that one-in-three emergency workers suffer anxiety, depression and suicide. Bushfires over this summer have shown the impact of such events on our first responders and others involved in emergency management. International Women’s Day is an opportunity to acknowledge the sacrifices they make and show that we care about improving their mental health and wellbeing.” Attending the ESF’s International Women’s Day Forum will be female personnel from Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, Country Fire Authority, Metropolitan Fire Brigade, SES, St John Ambulance Australia, Emergency Management Victoria, Inspector-General Emergency Management, ESTA (000), Bushfire Recovery Victoria, Red Cross and Life Saving Victoria. Speakers include Beyond Blue Director Johanna Griggs and IWD Ambassador, author Carol Fox. Following the IWD Forum, a tribute to women in Victoria’s emergency sector will be included in the T20 Women’s Cricket World Cup Final pre-game entertainment, featuring US performer Katy Perry, at the MCG. The Emergency Services Foundation represents the health and wellbeing of Victoria’s 125,000 emergency paid staff and volunteers, of which approximately 45,000 are women.