On 8 March 2010, the International Women’s Day, Ms. Anna Wu (Madam Wu) shared how she overcame all obstacles to become the first female Senior Station Officer in Hong Kong. Upon meeting Madam Wu for the first time, the students found her to be kind, sociable, and zealous in helping others. They gave the “female fire warrior” thumbs-up admiringly.

As Madam Wu is tall and looks strong, you cannot imagine that she was a sickly child and not physically fit in her youth. She even contracted meningitis and tuberculosis in her teens. Madam Wu decided to overcome her illnesses and exercised a great deal to train for a healthy body. After having applied for Station Officer, she had to undergo tough training for 26 weeks and injured herself during the process. Nevertheless, she was admitted after passing the examination. Madam Wu has overcome numerous obstacles in life with iron will. She encourages the students by saying that a strong will makes everything possible.

She pointed out that men may have advantage in physical fitness over women but women have better muscle flexibility. In one of the rescues she talked out a stressed woman from jumping out of a building with her soft and empathetic approach. The incident convinced her that female firefighters also have their own edge.

In the morning of her mentorship session, a No. 4 alarm fire broke out in an industrial building at Cheung Sha Wan and a fireman died while battling the blaze. Madam Wu was saddened by the accident, but told the students that the value of life does not lie in its length but in our achievements - whether we have done anything worth to be proud of.