STANDING against a backdrop of burly firemen, the diminutive figure of Brenda Forster hardly looks imposing. She chats easily with them, her 20 years experience as a councillor and roles as a mother-of-five and grandmother of 11 no doubt having armed her with social skills to take her anywhere. But as she dons the trademark yellow helmet for the camera, complaining of its considerable weight on her small head, I am struck by the metaphor for her new job.

At the same time as qualifying for the pension, Coun Forster became Cleveland Fire Authority's first woman chair. So unusual is it for a female to hold the position that, as far as she is aware, she is the only one outside London to do so. But far from being daunted by the idea, Coun Forster is looking forward to showing the men a thing or two about feminine powers of persuasion. "It's what you say to people over cups of tea and pints of beer that make a difference," she says. "I'm a good listener, and I know one or two people. If you're around people who can help you, you don't just sit there - you make use of them."

It was a tactic that Coun Forster, who counts the Middlesbrough south and east Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar among her personal friends, employed to great advantage when campaigning for wheelie bins for the authority she represents. In 1991, Redcar and Cleveland became the first Cleveland authority to fund them borough-wide. While perhaps not the most glamorous way of earning a reputation, it marked Coun Forster out as one to watch, and must have sent shivers down the spines of many a male chauvinist colleague.

It was through her work as a ward councillor for Newcomen, Kirkleatham and Coatham - she is currently in her second spell as Labour representative for Kirkleatham - that she first encountered the fire brigade. As a member of the Home Safety Committee, Coun Forster received regular visits from fire officers, who would demonstrate the value of things like smoke alarms, in the hope that information would be disseminated to the community.

Being terrified by the threat of fire, Coun Forster was only too eager to listen. "I'm really frightened of fire," she admits. "I've got smoke alarms all over the place - even in the loft. We have got the best fire fighting force in the country and I don't think their work is appreciated."

Having fixed on joining the fire authority as a serious ambition, Coun Forster was finally successful at the beginning of last year. She took over as chair on June 1, and has a clear vision for her 12 months in office. "My overall ambition is to have nought per cent loss of life," she says, hinting at the enormity of the plan by adding, "I don't think you could have a higher goal."

Last year, Cleveland Fire Brigade responded to 17,473 incidents. Most were vehicle fires, and of these, 12,019 were deliberate. It also took more than 2,000 malicious calls and dealt with more than 3,000 property fires, of which two thirds were deliberate. In recognition of the area's high arson rate, the Government donated £83,000 in April to set up an Arson Investigation Team, now renamed the Arson Reduction Team. Coun Forster is confident that this, among other measures, will prove successful in tackling the problem.

"I first came across the Arson Reduction Team about a year ago because the Lakes Primary School, where I am a governor, kept being set on fire," she says. "They make sure fires are prevented by removing rubbish and scrap cars. They take the cars to the fire station and practice cutting people out. The funding won't last for ever, but I'm sure when the Government sees how successful we are, they will give more."

Another project Coun Forster is enthusiastic about is the introduction of domestic sprinklers in a bid to save lives. The idea, which comes from Arizona, is that the presence of a sprinkler in the home prevents the fire from spreading before firefighters arrive to tackle it. So far, nobody has died from fires in properties where they are fitted.

While she is only too keen to extol the virtues of ongoing schemes, Coun Forster is conscious of her balancing role within the authority. "Sometimes, I know officers think they should have given us the budget for this or that, but at the end of the day, we are spending public money," she says.

It is her detachment from the narrow concerns of the brigade that enables her to see its challenges with fresh eyes and form her own views on how they can be addressed. As a magistrate, she has dealt with many young arsonists, and feels they need to be educated on the effects of their actions.

"These youngsters who start fires should be taken out and shown what the lads have to do," she says. "They should be made to do something for the fire brigade as a punishment."

As a woman, Coun Forster is keen to be instrumental in breaking Cleveland brigade's tradition of having no women officers. She also means to visit every station to meet the lads.

While not being so naive as to expect a warm welcome from everyone, Coun Forster is firm in her resolve to let people know that times have changed. She may be a woman in a man's world, but that world will just have to get used to her.

"When you are a woman, you do take your sex into account," she admits, but adds, with a twinkle in her eye, "I can handle men." Somehow, I don't doubt that she can