Welcome to the updated web site of Dr Merilyn Childs. I'm now Director of the Fire Services Social Research Initiative, and GreenSteps*Learning.

It's been over two years since the Women in Fire Fighting Australasia Conference took place in mid 2006. A lot has happened in that time, and I am updating my web site to reflect those changes.

Some things have changed in the fire services. These changes are celebrated in the Good News section of my site. One of the things that has changed is an increase in the amount of social research. This too is included in Cool Stuff.

Some things haven't changed - and these are explored in the Blog. I hope you will have your say as well.

The good news is that the Women and Firefighting Australasia Inc. was formed in 2008. The research and activism I was involved in, on behalf of women and fire fighting in Australia, was always meant to empower women within the sector to form their own association. It is a good news story that this has taken place, very much out of the energies of a small group of dedicated and committed women.

I'm now focussed on finishing the job I started in 2005 - investigating the story of female fire fighters in Australia through a visual history. As this story unfolds, I will share it with you, here on these pages. The story of female fire fighters in Australia is your story - I am an onlooker and a story teller in a moment in history. If you have materials that I can add to this project, and share with others, please let me know 

I'm no longer active in advocating workplace change in terms of women and firefighting. But I've never been one to sit on the sidelines. Please bookmark this site, and it will be updated - along with opinion pieces - when political commentary is required. 

I am no longer aligned with a university for my work with women fire fighters, nor is my research funded. Opinions expressed on these pages are my own, or shaped by evidence drawn from good quality research, and my own field experiences. 



 
This site is under development.

 
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