The story of Nottingham's first ever female firefighter

“Who are you here with love?” were the words an individual heard on a recruitment day in 1992.

That individual was Lisa Crofts – a daughter, a mother, a wife. Amongst all of this, Lisa was Nottinghamshire’s first ever female firefighter.

It wasn’t as easy as that though.

Lisa spent 13 years going from one job to another, never really finding her purpose in life. Whilst working as an insurance clerk, she hit a brick wall, so much so that frustration and motivation changed her life, and ultimately, led us to be able to tell her story today.

When queuing up to apply, Lisa questioned whether she could join, and although there were no rules to who could, and couldn’t, apply to become a firefighter, it was something we had never seen before at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Lisa refused to be treated any differently to the men – she lifted the weights, she ran the sprints, she donned the fire kit, and she flew through the day with flying colours. In fact, she surpassed the expectations of most of the men on the drill ground.

Lisa’s life changed again in 1996, when she fell pregnant with Ellie. The biggest problem Lisa faced back then was that the fire service didn’t recognise maternity leave, so after three months she returned to work.

Ellie said: “Some of the men on mum’s training course didn’t think she had what it takes to be a firefighter, especially as the only woman on the course, but she did, and I am incredibly proud to be able to stand up in front of others to tell her story.

“Not only did mum get a name for herself by being Nottingham’s first ever female firefighter, but she had also been selected to represent the British Fire Service in the International Police and Fire Indoor Games which was hosted in Colorado Springs – she smashed it and won both a gold and silver medal.”

Unfortunately, Lisa had to retire out on ill-health following an injury that compromised her vision – this was a decision that broke her heart as she really didn’t want to leave the service.

Ellie added: “The point of telling her story is so little girls out there understand that their opportunities are endless.

Growing up with a strong, fiercely independent mum, has helped me become a fiercely independent, and often stubborn, young woman too.

“I remember mum­­­ telling me about another female firefighter who went into her local Mothercare and collected all the firefighter fancy dress outfits and moved them into the girl’s section. When she was asked by staff her reply was simple: “because girls can be firefighters too.”

Lisa has now sadly passed away however her legacy lives on through Ellie, who has continued to tell her story. This International Women’s Day we are wanting to celebrate Lisa and her story with Ellie, in the hopes that it encourages others to follow their dreams and become a firefighter.