Celebrating mums: Michelle leading the next generation of CFA volunteers

Mrs Turnham volunteers with the Ararat Fire Brigade along with her husband Ash and son Bailey.

She said volunteering with CFA has given her fulfilment in so many unexpected ways.

"I actually joined because of my kids who were CFA Juniors at the time," Mrs Turnham said.

"When I started, I spent four years as a non-operational volunteer and then decided I would give firefighting a go and haven't looked back since.

"I have done so much more than I expected, I said I wouldn't ever be more than a wildfire firefighter and now I have completed the low structure course and external breathing apparatus training."

Mrs Turnham said volunteering and being a busy mother of three kids doesn't come without challenges.

"We have a bit of a roster as a family that allows me to turn out," she said.

"My older boys can look after the youngest if we need to, and I have friends and family I can call on to support me.

"It has instilled a sense of community in my kids. My eldest son, Jaxon, is in the process of joining now, and Bailey continues to shine; he has come out of his shell thanks to CFA.

"I sometimes turn out alongside Bailey, and I love that the dynamic is that we are both firefighters working together at an incident, not mother and son.

"Even my six-year-old is fire truck obsessed and loves 'checking the tyres' when he comes down to the station."