On 5th October 2026, a workshop entitled “Gender Participation in the Fire Service” was held in the town of Sveti Nikole, North Macedonia. The workshop focused on gender equality and increasing the participation of women in the fire service.
The meeting was organised by the British firefighting charity Operation Florian, which supports the development of firefighting services, capacity building and the exchange of experience worldwide through its programmes. Operation Florian has been leading its project activities in North Macedonia for the past 19 years, under the excellent leadership and supervision of Mr Steve Jordan, Project Manager and a member of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, who has also generously supported firefighters in Croatia.
The workshop was led by Ms Emma Sinclair and Ms Millie Frost, both operational firefighters with the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
The workshop and meeting brought together female firefighters from the Baranja Firefighting Association in Croatia: Renata Čete, an honorary member of Operation Florian, Secretary of the Baranja Firefighting Association and President of Batina Volunteer Fire Brigade (DVD Batina), and Jelena Momčilović, an operational firefighter with Beli Manastir Volunteer Fire Brigade (DVD Beli Manastir).
They were joined by female firefighters from Crna Gora Volunteer Fire Brigade (DVD Crna Gora), members of the Women’s Association of Sveti Nikole, and members of Pehčevo Volunteer Fire Brigade (DVD Pehčevo). The workshop was also honoured by the presence of Ms Valentina Atanasovska, representing the Directorate for Protection and Rescue of North Macedonia.
The gathering provided an opportunity for women from different backgrounds and with different experiences to connect and openly discuss their roles in the fire service and in their local communities.
The main topic of the meeting was gender equality and increasing women’s participation in the fire service. Discussions focused on the challenges women face, opportunities for their greater involvement in firefighting organisations, and the need to create a supportive environment in which women have equal opportunities to participate, receive training, develop their skills and progress.
One of the key conclusions was the need to establish a network of female firefighters that would enable them to connect, exchange knowledge and experience, support one another and work together. Particular emphasis was also placed on strengthening the capacities of women in the fire service, developing and organising different forms of training, and acquiring the practical knowledge and skills required for active participation in firefighting activities.
An important part of future activities should focus on working with children and young people. Educating children about fire prevention, safe behaviour and the importance of the fire service can be a powerful way to inspire future generations to understand the value of prevention, solidarity and volunteering. Women can play a significant role in this area as educators, mentors and leaders of activities in their communities.
The meeting in Sveti Nikole demonstrated how important cooperation, networking and the exchange of experience are for the development of the fire service and for increasing women’s participation. The participants identified common goals and recognised the need to turn discussions into concrete action – from connecting women and establishing a network of female firefighters to developing new training programmes and expanding activities for children and local communities.
Following the workshop, on 6 October 2026, female firefighters from Croatia and Montenegro, together with their hosts from Sveti Nikole Volunteer Fire Brigade (DVD Sveti Nikole), led by Fire Chief Kiril Mihajlov, and representatives of Operation Florian, were received at the British Embassy in Skopje by Mr Daniel Fieller, Chargé d’Affaires.
During the meeting, the outcomes of the workshop were presented, along with intentions to continue cooperation through the implementation of new projects benefiting firefighters in the four neighbouring countries.
Such meetings represent an important step towards a fire service that provides equal opportunities for everyone, while also strengthening the ability of firefighting organisations to respond to the needs of their communities.
After all, women are not merely participants in the fire service – they are an essential part of it, bringing knowledge, education, solidarity and a valuable contribution to the future development of firefighting services.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Operation Florian and Mr Jordan for the invitation, which enabled us, as Croatian female firefighters, to present our work in Baranja.
We would also like to thank our hosts, the members of Sveti Nikole Volunteer Fire Brigade, led by Mr Kiril Mihajlov, President of the Association of Volunteer Fire Brigades of North Macedonia, and Mr Aleksandar Danev, Chief of the Fire Brigade.
Our sincere thanks also go to Mr Ash Tamam, who kindly assisted us with booking our airline tickets, and to Mr Angel Panovski, Chief of the Fire and Rescue Service at Skopje International Airport, who welcomed us and guided us through the airport.
Finally, a big thank-you to our fellow firefighter Pavel, who served as our driver throughout our visit.
Renata Čete
Secretary of the Baranja Firefighting Association
