In a groundbreaking initiative, New Zealand has introduced its first all-female professional firefighter calendar, featuring thirteen firefighters representing nine stations across three major cities. The project, known as the Wāhine Toa Firefighter Calendar, aims to raise funds for Breast Cancer Cure, a charity dedicated to breast cancer research.

Inception of the Calendar

The idea for the calendar emerged during a shift when co-organizers Nicole Koch and Zoe Feau discussed the absence of a women’s calendar in comparison to the men’s versions. “Zoe and I were actually on shift together, we were talking about the men’s calendar and we were like ‘why isn’t there a woman’s one?’ So we’re just like, ‘maybe we should just make one ourselves and how hard could it be?’ And then it just went from there,” said Koch.

Feau noted that although there were several logistical challenges in creating the calendar, the men’s team provided invaluable support throughout the process.

Focus on Breast Cancer Awareness

The choice to partner with Breast Cancer Cure was intentional, reflecting the calendar’s commitment to a cause that resonates deeply with the firefighting community. Feau explained, “We wanted to choose something that was really specific to women… a few of the girls from the calendar and throughout firefighting have had close connections with breast cancer, it just felt really fitting.”

Social Media Buzz

To create excitement around the calendar, the team shared a sneak preview on Instagram, achieving an extraordinary jump from 500 to approximately 30,000 followers overnight. Currently, their follower count has reached over 70,400.

“We’ve been getting messages from all around the world. People are really excited and want to buy the calendar. It’s actually been really overwhelming,” Koch shared with a laugh.

Availability

The Wāhine Toa Firefighter Calendar is available for purchase starting today through the Breast Cancer Cure website. While previous calendars featuring volunteer firefighters have included women, this initiative marks the first collaboration of New Zealand’s female career firefighters for a national fundraising project.