Bronnie Mackintosh

Bronnie Mackintosh is passionate about connected and resilient communities and influencing the fire and emergency services sector to reflect and leverage the diversity in our communities. Bronnie holds a Bachelor of Sports Science from the University of Technology, Sydney. Bronnie is the Youth Coordinator, Community Engagement Unit with Fire and Rescue NSW, and is the founder and Director of Girls on Fire Australia. Bronnie’s career has encompassed many roles, spanning general firefighting, rescue, operational communications, community safety, and education and training. As a Churchill Fellow, Bronnie travelled the world to research how international fire agencies are changing their workforces to be more reflective of the diverse communities they protect. An outcome of this project, using local and international research, together with multi-agency collaboration, Bronnie founded Girls on Fire Australia and is helping recruit the fire service of the future. All while giving young girls the opportunity to uncover their strengths, build personal resilience and connect in a positive way with the community via Girls on Fire camps. In 2019 Bronnie received Queen’s Birthday Honours - the Australian Fire Service Medal (ASFM). This is the highest honour an Australian firefighter can receive. Girls on Fire also was a recipient for an NAB Community Grant. In 2018 she was invited to present at TEDx Sydney, speaking about the value that a diverse workforce provides in meeting the community’s service expectations. From 2014 to 2016, Bronnie served as President of Women and Firefighting Australasia (WAFA), a not-for-profit organisation that promotes equity across fire and emergency services by empowering women to take an active role within the sector.