Women in Fire Safety Awards 2024: Winners list in full
Iain Hoey
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Women in Fire Safety Awards 2024 Event highlights international participation and record nominations
The fourth annual Women in Fire Safety Awards took place on 12th September 2024 at the Leonardo Royal Hotel in London, celebrating excellence across the fire safety industry.
This year’s event drew a record number of nominations across diverse categories, reflecting the growing recognition of female talent within the sector.
Attendees represented a range of countries including the UK, USA, Ireland, Poland, and the UAE, demonstrating increased international participation in 2024.
The evening also featured entertainment, including musical performances and a surprise Conga line, creating a lively atmosphere for the attendees.
The event also raised funds for the Children’s Burns Charity, with gratitude expressed to all contributors.
Winners showcase excellence in fire safety
The Women in Fire Safety Awards highlighted key achievements across the industry.
Winners included Dawn Whittaker from East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, who was recognised with the Fire Service Award, and Rachel Willis from Xact Consultancy & Training, who received the Diversity Champion award.
Other notable winners included Kelly Gardiner from Plumis as Business Manager of the Year and Angela Bennett from Diamond Systems, named Woman of the Year.
Award winners in full
The full list of award winners at the 2024 Women in Fire Safety Awards is as follows:
- Fire Service Award: Dawn Whittaker, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
- Diversity Champion: Rachel Willis, Xact Consultancy & Training
- Business Manager of the Year: Kelly Gardiner, Plumis
- Rising Star Award: Lizzie Pickup, OFR
- Woman of the Year: Angela Bennett, Diamond Systems
- Fire Safety Manager of the Year: Abigail Link, West Sussex Fire and Rescue
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Nicolle Hoffman
- Influencer of the Year: Angela Everington, Surrey Fire and Rescue
- Administrator of the Year: Heather Smyth, Hydrock
- Joint International Woman of the Year Award winners: Iza Tekielak-Skalka SMAY & Salma Humaid Saeed Al Ali Head of Engineering Section at Dubai Civil Defence H.Q.
- International Rising Star Award: Victoria Simmons, Town of Apex Public and Information Officer
- Inclusive Company Award: Clymac
New initiatives for 2025
The event also saw announcements regarding two new initiatives for 2025.
Co-founders Chloe Antoniuk and Kate Blake introduced the upcoming Women in Fire Safety Business Club and the International Fire Safety Awards (IFSA), which will take place in Poland next year.
These initiatives are expected to further support networking and recognition of professionals in the fire safety sector.
The co-founders said: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of these two new platforms and look forward to continued engagement with the industry.”
Sponsors and continued support
The Women in Fire Safety Awards extended their thanks to all sponsors, presenters, and participants.
The growing enthusiasm for the awards was noted, with the event organisers expressing appreciation for the ongoing support from the fire safety community.
The organisers said: “We are truly grateful for the enthusiasm for these awards, which continues to grow year on year.”
The evening concluded with recognition for all nominees and winners, with many looking forward to next year’s event.
Correction: this post was corrected on 25/9/24. It has now been updated to say that the joint International Woman of the Year Award winners were Iza Tekielak-Skalka SMAY & Salma Humaid Saeed Al Ali Head of Engineering Section at Dubai Civil Defence H.Q.