These New Zealand Firefighters Set The Sapphic World Ablaze

Featured Image: Flora Driessen

It’s the calendar that took the sapphic world by storm. One viral video, one million likes, and nearly $300,000 raised for breast cancer research and prevention—and these Kiwi firefighters are still stunned by the international attention. 

In October, a group of women firefighters in New Zealand posed in their sports bras, laughing and smiling in an innocent (or not-so-innocent) Instagram Reel to advertise the Wāhine Toa Firefighter Calendar. Lesbians were drawn like moths to a flame, and the project went massively viral.

Firefighter Nicole Koch, one of the founders of the calendar, never expected so many eyes on them. She said the idea for a women’s firefighter calendar started small; it came up as a joke during one of her shifts last November. While quipping about making a calendar of their own, Nicole started to think, ‘How hard could it really be?’

Related: These Kiwi Firefighters Accidentally Became Internet Icons With Their Charity Calendar

“We put out an open call to women firefighters across Auckland, [New Zealand] to see who might be interested,” she told GO. “At first, we struggled to get enough women involved… [M]any of us in the service are used to keeping our heads down and fitting in, so there was definitely some initial hesitation. Once we shared the creative vision and explained the purpose behind the calendar, more women became excited and willing to be involved.”

Koch, along with fellow firefighters Samara Pepperell and Zoe Feau, officially created the Wāhine Toa Firefighter Calendar, and a strong team of women signed on not long after. The decision to donate every single cent of profit to New Zealand’s non-profit research organization, Breast Cancer Cure, was an easy one.

“We wanted to support a charity that directly impacts women, although it can and does affect all humans…Breast cancer affects a staggering number of us,” Koch explained. “Many of the women involved in the calendar have loved ones who have been affected, so the cause was personal…We felt proud to support life-saving science that helps women live longer and better with breast cancer.”

Nat, a Station Officer Qualified Senior Firefighter based in Christchurch, and Tobi, a Senior Firefighter in Auckland, were both featured in the calendar and have a personal connection to the cause. 

“I think you’d be hard-pressed not to find someone who has been touched by breast cancer,” Tobi said. “My aunty and several friends have had the disease, and one friend passed away at only 40 years old.”

“My grandma suffered from breast cancer, so I was overjoyed to be a part of the project,” Nat added.

From planning, shooting, editing, fundraising, and printing, the entire project took nearly a year to put together. In Nicole’s words, it was a “massive effort, but such a rewarding one.” The calendar raised $270,000 for Breast Cancer Cure, with orders coming in from over 40 countries around the globe.

So what was it that made this calendar so successful? Well, besides becoming exceptionally popular with the lesbian population, the founding team put forth a serious effort to create quality, story-driven photos, rather than simple poses. And, more importantly, they were able to straddle the line of sexy, without oversexualizing the firefighters.

Related: Sapphic Firefighters Are Bringing The Heat To The Holiday Movie Lineup This Year

“Our goal was to create images that showed our female firefighters as both beautiful and powerful—strong, confident, and fully in control,” Nicole said. “We wanted women in the service, whether they were part of the calendar or not, to feel proud of what we created. It was important that the final product respected who we are as professionals while still allowing us to have fun and raise money for an important cause.”

The camaraderie on set encouraged the women to be themselves in front of the camera, loosen up, and bring an authenticity to the calendar. Tobi, who describes herself as “introverted” and “not a fan of being the center of attention,” gushed about the lighthearted atmosphere of the shoot.

“It was such a fun day,” she told GO. “We were all buzzing. Just to have that many female firefighters in one space is unusual, so I think we were all excited to hang out. I can’t say I was comfortable in front of the camera, but our photographer did a great job at putting us at ease…I just tried really hard not to overthink it and just have a good time.

Nat, on the other hand, quickly volunteered for the shoot. While she also called herself a “quiet” person, she really loves showing off her tattoos, so the shoot was a no-brainer.

“Flora, our photographer, was fantastic at giving direction and making us feel comfortable in front of the camera,” Nat said. “In between shoots, we all got to hang out and get to know each other… Without the project, [I] would never have met the other amazing firefighters.”

In the two short months since the calendar’s first viral video, they now have more than 100,000 people following the journey, many of whom are eagerly awaiting a calendar of their own. 

“Where is the dignity? Where is the self respect? Where is the address?” one commenter joked. 

“I finally understand how straight middle aged women feel with their fireman calendars,” another added.

And the attention hasn’t stopped there. Nat and Tobi have both received “heaps” of Instagram followers (or follow requests in Tobi’s case). Although they haven’t been recognized in the street quite yet, they’re both taking in the international success of the calendar. 

“I was completely shocked,” Tobi said. “Our little project in little old New Zealand caught the attention of so many across the world…what?! I don’t think any of us expected it to take off like that, get so many views in such a small amount of time, and then get orders from all over the world. Just crazy!”

“I couldn’t believe how quickly it spread—people from all over the world were sharing it,” Nicole added. “The messages of support were incredible. None of us expected that level of international attention, so it was honestly overwhelming in the best way.”

For the international fans, Nicole said she is “definitely considering” a virtual calendar option to help cut out the high shipping costs. “We just need to sort out the technical side and ensure we can offer it securely,” she said. “Our goal is to make the calendar accessible to everyone.”

If you weren’t able to get your hands on a copy this year, there’s a very strong possibility that fans will see a 2027 Wāhine Toa Firefighter Calendar in the future. “The success of this project has shown us the impact we can make, so we’re excited to explore what next year might look like,” Nicole teased.