Applying during the global COVID-19 pandemic and successfully being recruited after a lengthy process and waiting time, the 30-year-old has had to weigh up the act between professional sport and frontline service.
Speaking to RangersTV in the next installment of our exclusive features for Scottish Women’s & Girls in Sport week, she spoke on working both roles and the support the club has given her in doing so across the last three years.
She said: “I applied back when I was 21, I didn't get in first time.
“I was in between trying to pursue football and maybe being a wee bit more logical and thinking probably I should actually have a proper job.
“Then COVID hit and I just got my first professional contract and then typically three months later we went into a pandemic lockdown, I kind of panicked a little bit.
“I have always wanted to do something in terms of working in a of physical job but I did when I was younger I thought about joining the army, doing something like that but football just gave me so many opportunities and I loved it and it took me on a different pathway away from where I thought I was going to end up.
“The fire service came up again, a big recruitment for females as well so I went for it again just during COVID and I got it.
“Which was great but it was a year and a half waiting list so I kept signing contracts in the meantime.
“Still continued with the football and when I got into the fire brigade I thought that was me hanging up the gloves but the club has been brilliant in terms of supporting that and giving that pathway to have a hybrid approach to still being able to play football at a relatively decent level whilst still being involved in the fire brigade.
“It kind of works both ways because the fire brigade are also quite good at helping you out when you need it if you need a shift swap and stuff like that and with the way your shifts work it is great kind of having that four on four off rotation.
“It is the best of both worlds, that is the great career I've had over the last three years merging both. It is quite difficult, days off I am always at training or vice versa. It has been good I have really enjoyed it so far.”
Based at Maryhill fire station, Cunningham spoke on life in the role and the challenges that come along with it on a daily basis.
She continued: “It is great, you don't know what you are turning up to everyday. It is definitely a more variable job than I thought I was coming into I think there is a lot of skepticism around that you think you'll turn up to a fire every single day and it is not really like that.
“You do get a wide variety of different incidents and it is quite similar to working in a team, in terms of being in football.
“The banter and things like you have got with your work colleagues, mostly I am the subject of the banter and they are really good.
“Really great to work with in terms of a good community and it is like my family.
“I probably see them more than I see my own family so you do build up really good relationships and the boys are great.
“It is always a laugh when you come into work as well as when you have to then work hard and be serious.
“The job you work at can be difficult at times, what you see and what you are up against but they make the job really enjoyable.
“You never feel like you are coming to work, you turn up and it is fun, I love my job so it is a win-win.
“You kind of get a bit numb to a lot of things. I am quite lucky I haven't seen too many horrendous things yet but some stuff you do face with every day and every public sector is the same.
“We are in changing times now where you are just expected to just get on with things but the workforce are really good at supporting things like that.
“Whatever you come up against and the challenges that you face whether it is one that is maybe closer to home when you come across a job that leaves a not very nice feeling after.
“The boys are really good we always go and get a cup of tea after it and you talk it through and it is good.
“As much as what you think the pros to this job definitely outweigh all the stuff that you deal with and at the end of the day it is a job to try and prevent these bad things happening to people and that is what I have set out to do.
“Sometimes you are unfortunate and are unable to do that and you are faced with seeing stuff that isn't always nice.
“Our job is primarily to try and prevent that as much as possible and that is the good parts of the job.”
The shot stopper has praised current club Rangers for the support they have given her during her time with the fire service so far, as she juggles the demands and long hours of a dual commitment both on and off the pitch.
She added: “It is just having a really good support.
“The fire brigade have been brilliant in terms of different shifts being able to help out a lot of times with shift swaps especially when I was out on loan the first couple of seasons when I was playing a lot more.
“It has been brilliant in terms of the boys are always willing to help you out as best they can. It is usually a Sunday we play so Sunday dayshift is a bit nicer because it is only eight hours than the usual 10 for a dayshift or a 14 to 16 for a nightshift.
“Trying to get that covered is not too bad normally so it just doing that, not getting any public holidays you work all of them to try make up or paid days back and things like that but it is worthwhile.
“I think while you can still do it and the boys will all the say the same they are big football fans so they are very supportive in terms of the fire brigade and the football as well.
“Rangers are brilliant with me; they look at my schedule and try figure out when I can come in and help.
“They have been really understanding in terms of just when workload is a bit higher or I have got a bit of time off they can kind of manipulate the schedule to try and make sure we are getting the best of both worlds.
“I have been really fortunate to have two sides of the coin that have been very understanding and willing to help me whenever they can.
“It is not always easy just because of shifts and unfortunately you do have to work in football it is a job it is probably a second priority to me now that I have got my career in the fire service.
“Just having that understanding between the two has been fantastic, I have been really fortunate to be part of two really good supportive associations that are willing to help.”
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