The share of women in front-line firefighting roles in Northern Ireland has nearly doubled in five years, reaching 9.56% after targeted recruitment events organised by the fire service.

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) is hosting a series of women-only come-and-try days this month at stations in Belfast, Londonderry, Omagh, Antrim and Armagh. The events form part of the service’s Positive Action Campaign, which aims to build a workforce that better reflects the communities it serves.

Over the past five years, the proportion of female firefighters has climbed from 4.97% to 9.56%. The service believes the steady increase may be linked to the open days designed specifically for women.

Ciara McGurk, a firefighter from Derry, credits a come-and-try day she attended in Armagh three years ago with helping her enter the profession. She applied in 2024 and started in 2025. McGurk said she had wanted to be a firefighter since a primary school visit to a fire station. She described the job as the best in the world.

Others attending the events included Gillian Thompson and her 17-year-old daughter Grace, who said they wanted to see what the role involved. Grace said she enjoyed the physical elements, particularly climbing the ladder, but was still unsure if it was the right career.

Lisa Osuere, a firefighter with 18 years’ experience, said the service was mostly male when she started. Having a female crew member on scene had been reassuring to women in distress during incidents, she added.

Michaela McGuigan, who joined full-time in 2020 after six years as an on-call firefighter, said some women might feel hesitant because the profession remains male-dominated, but the open days offered a chance to speak directly to serving female firefighters.

Shantell Temple said she signed up for the event after seeing it advertised and found speaking to firefighters the most valuable part. She said their enthusiasm for the work was evident. Shannon Dunne, a former Derry City footballer, said she was drawn by the physical demands and was interested in learning more about the role.