Ms Booth is a Lieutenant and administration officer with the brigade and training officer for the Wongan Ballidu Shire.

She joined the Bush Fire Service about 20 years ago but has become more heavily involved in the service over the past 10 years, especially in the areas of recruitment and training.

An enthusiastic member of the brigade, Ms Booth was nominated in the 2009 Firefighting Awards for her tireless work encouraging new members to join up, while also helping increase the interest of many longer serving members.

She has been active in promoting the involvement of women in the Bush Fire Service, organising several training courses dedicated to them.

Ms Booth has also been actively involved in fire safety awareness education within the community and at the local primary school.

In addition she has organised orientation and community information days and her efforts have resulted in more volunteers and a far more effective firefighting team.

“I new that my brigade had nominated me for an award, but to actually be a winner, I find very humbling,” Ms Booth said.

“I am very passionate about getting more women involved in fire fighting.

“There are a lot of women around who have grown children and are home on the farm.

“It makes sense to me to get them more actively involved.

“With our declining population in country WA, there is just not the people on the ground any more.

“In the past, women were not asked to take part in any training, but it is my ambition to encourage them to become active fire fighters.

“Not necessarily on the ‘fire front’, but there are many areas of expertise they can excel at.

“I have found with my training sessions that women tend to be safety conscious and open to learning.”

Fire and Emergency Services Authority chief executive officer Jo Harrison-Ward spoke at the awards night about the dedication of firefighters across the State.