Event details for the Women in Fire Safety Awards

The finalists for the 2024 Women in Fire Safety Awards have been announced

The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on Thursday, 12th September 2024 at the Leonardo Royal Hotel in London.

Award categories include Woman of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, International Woman of the Year, Rising Star Award, Fire Service Award, Influencer of the Year, Fire Safety Manager of the Year, International Rising Star, Business Manager of the Year, Administrator of the Year, Inclusive Company Award, and Diversity Champion.

List of finalists

The finalists for the Woman of the Year category are Emma Massey, Lisa Howsden, Sally Hammond, Frances Radford, Emma Turner, Clare Poole, and Angela Bennett.

For the Rising Star Award, the finalists include Hannah Boyns, Lizzie Pickup, Lorna Masters, Louise Andrews, Georgina Fennell, Katherine Bogan, and Katie Grula.

The Fire Safety Manager of the Year finalists are Rahcel Pollard, Louise Curtis, Yujie Wang, Fiona Cornfield, Abigail Link, Ann Hurst, and Phil Dolphin.

Administrator of the Year finalists are Tara Caws, Dawn Figg, Sarah Forbes, Heather Smyth, Carmel Gardner, Michelle Creighton, and Lucy Denning.

The Diversity Champion category includes Hydrock, Aecom, Jenny Nangle, and Rachel Willis.

Additional categories and nominees

The International Rising Star Award finalists are Claire Doherty, Charne Prentice, Victorian Simmons, and Aracelli Tumbalobos.

For the Fire Service Award, the finalists are Dawn Whittaker, Jess Patten, Joanne Barker, Jo Bowcock, Lorelle Tolley, Sally-Anne Lees, and Emma Turner.

The Business Manager of the Year finalists are Francesca Webb, Nicki Prater, Michele Buckley, Kelly Gardiner, Kirstie Davies, Manpreet Grewal, and Sarah Leadbetter.

Influencer of the Year nominees are Gemma Hand, Eleasha Hylton-Rowe, Kacie Doyle, and Angela Everington.

Inclusive Company Award finalists include Aecom, Design Fire Consultants, Clymac, IFSM, Recom, JLA, and Hoare Lea.

The International Woman of the Year Award finalists are Salma Humaid Saeed Al Ali, Lana Benny, Louise Larkin, Marta Villano, Pilar Sancho, Petia Simeonova, and Iza Tekielak-Skalka.

The Lifetime Achievement Award winner will be announced on the night of the event.

Organisers’ comments and ticket details

The organisers commented: “Thank you so much for the trust you have put in the Women in Fire Safety Awards on our 4th Year.

“Due to the incredible support, we have received an overwhelming number of nominations.

“The standard has been incredibly high this year and we are immensely proud of you all.”

They urged interested individuals to visit the official website for a full list of all finalists and to secure tickets as soon as possible due to limited availability.

The deadline for entries was Friday, 5th July 2024, with no extensions granted to ensure equal opportunity for all nominees.

Supporting evidence for nominations must be dated from 1st January 2021 onwards, and applications from organisations with ongoing prosecutions or guilty convictions were not accepted.

About the Women in Fire Safety Awards

Founded in 2021, the Women in Fire Safety Awards aim to recognise and honour the achievements of women in the fire safety industry.

The awards seek to address the historical gender imbalance in the sector and to inspire the next generation of women to pursue careers in fire safety.

Co-founders Chloe Vickery and Kate Blake bring extensive experience in fire safety and a passion for promoting diversity within the industry.

Blake, who transitioned from finance to fire safety in 2008, now works as a Performance Coach, helping women in leadership roles.

IFSJ comment

The Women in Fire Safety Awards play a crucial role in acknowledging the contributions of women in an industry where they have been historically underrepresented.

By celebrating the achievements of these finalists, the awards highlight the progress being made towards gender equality in fire safety.

Recognising individuals and organisations that promote diversity not only honours their efforts but also encourages others to follow suit.

This year’s finalists demonstrate the high standards and dedication present within the fire safety community.

As the event approaches, it serves as a reminder of the ongoing work needed to support and encourage women’s participation in all levels of the fire safety sector.