Celebrating the women leading the way

A passion for working with people led Danielle Shepherd to take the leap and start her journey as a CFS volunteer.

Danielle is one of the many female volunteers CFS is celebrating for making a difference this International Women's Day.

The 2026 theme “Balance the Scales” is a reminder when women and girls stand equal, workplaces are fairer, communities thrive, and society becomes safer for everyone. 

Since joining as a volunteer in 2021, Danielle has been balancing the scales in her own way. The Murray Bridge local has worked her way up the ranks of the Region 3 Operations Brigade and was elected as the brigade’s first female captain in 2024.

In her role as captain, Danielle is playing an important part in leading her fellow volunteers and encouraging other women to join.

“Just give it a go,” Danielle said. 

“A friend of mine encouraged me to join initially ... and I’ve found the more you get involved the more comfortable you feel.”

“It is a traditionally male dominated space, but we lead by example and make sure we’re creating a comfortable environment for anyone that wants to join.”

Making an impact from behind the scenes

One of 20 operations brigades across the state, the Region 3 Operations Brigade provides support to the region including radio communications, transporting vehicles and personnel, and being part of incident management teams.

Some of the brigade’s 22 members provided support at the recent Tooperang and Deep Creek fires. 

“You don’t have to get onto the truck to be helping, you can be in those supporting roles in the background,” Danielle said. 

“You might be managing radio intelligence and information and providing it to the appropriate people so people on the fireground can get the support they need sooner.

“Or we might be moving trucks or people to and from the fireground or to the airport for an interstate deployment. 

“You can see you’re making an impact even if it’s just a small part of the incident.”

Leading from the front

With a background in leadership and administration, Danielle takes her role as brigade captain seriously. 

“As a leader, I think it’s important to listen and support people and my team to know that what they’re doing is the right thing or appropriate for the task,” she said. 

“I like to think about what people who have held this role before me would’ve done and incorporate those insights into my own style.”