Celebrating the mums of CFA
.png "Brenda and Kim McMahon both volunteer with Wattle Glen Fire Brigade")
Brenda and Kim McMahon both volunteer with Wattle Glen Fire Brigade
For mother-daughter duo Brenda and Kim McMahon, both volunteering with CFA for Wattle Glen Fire Brigade has provided a very special common ground and an even deeper bond.
The pair have been members of the brigade for 38 and 11 years respectively and have both found a special connection to one another through their service to the community.
“I joined in 1988 when there was a letterbox drop asking for people to join the Ladies Auxiliary (now the Wattle Glen Fire Brigade Support Team). For some reason I never considered being an operational firefighter,” Brenda said.
After joining in 2015, it was a family history in radio communications that first sparked an idea in Brenda’s daughter, Kim.
“Our family comes from a radio background, we all have amateur radio licences and my parents have been heavily involved in the Wireless Institute of Australia. I started doing radio work with CFA and was telling mum about it and said, ‘why don’t you give that a go?” Kim said.
Brenda knew she would need to be operational to do this, so in 2021 she undertook her General Firefighter Training (GFF) alongside her husband Paul and hasn’t looked back since.
“I’ve been to over 150 incidents since I qualified, including strike teams to Rochester for floods and Beaufort for fires. I’ve done multiple courses including low structure and hazmat and helped crew the Nillumbik Field Operations Vehicle (providing comms at an incident),” Brenda said.
“I regret that I didn’t think of becoming an operational member much sooner, it’s definitely outside my comfort zone but it’s extremely rewarding.
“There’s a special joy in sharing it with Kim. I'm so proud to see the person she’s become and how she contributes in all her roles. I nearly cried the first time I saw her back the truck into the fire station!”
A teacher by day, Kim has taught both her parents the ropes in her role as the Training Officer at Wattle Glen.
“I taught parts of their GFF and their low structure course. It’s certainly different having them in the room when I’m instructing, but you know how they learn best which helps,” Kim said.
“I was really proud when Mum got through the low structure course. She’s always said she’s proud of me for going into teaching, and it was nice to have that moment where she could see me instructing.”
Kim has also learnt some important lessons from Brenda.
“She’s taught me that you’re never too old to give things a go. She’s put herself out there, she went and got her driving qualifications, she’s taken some risks that others might not at her age and is always out there advocating and doing so much for the brigade,” Kim said.
Brenda said their shared interest in volunteering provides a special bond.
“Because she's more experienced than I am, I need to treat her as a more qualified colleague rather than as my child when we're doing anything CFA. I listen to her advice and instruction, and she treats me how she treats any other brigade member,” Brenda said.
“We have a shared purpose that is rare, when your children have grown up and left home. It's a joy to have something so important in common with her and to share experiences, both good and bad.
I have a window into one part of her life, something that is unusual for parents of adult children these days.
“Membership of a local CFA brigade brings friendship, contribution to the community, intellectual stimulation, excitement and many other things. I would recommend it to anyone.”
This Mother’s Day, CFA is celebrating all the incredible mums in our brigades and communities.