With our Rural Fire Service (RFS) volunteer workforce steadily ageing, every effort is being made to attract new blood. Last month teenagers from Wollongong's northern suburbs were put through their paces in the hope they'll ultimately join our frontline team of bushfire fighters to protect homes, lives and property in the region.
RFS Illawarra Sutherland Operational Officer Jacob Trow said the cadet training program had run previously at Figtree and Engadine High Schools but those courses were spread out, one hour a week over 10 weeks. Jacob said the more intense, full three-day program for Bulli High students allowed for a more in-depth experience for participants.
"We are finding schools are receptive and keen to become involved," Jacob said.
Helping deliver the training are RFS volunteers from across the Illawarra.
"They put the students through basic fire-fighting skills, learning theory about fire behaviour and there's plenty of hands on during the course.
"We find the young people who attend are community minded and it's an opportunity for them to try something very different. Most of them are leadership oriented and team oriented," Jacob said.
While completing the course doesn't provide the participants with any qualification, it does set them up to join a local RFS brigade.
"They can become members at the age of 16 but won't attend any major incidents till they're 18. Even if they don't join up it's good that we will have more members of the community who are a little more prepared should we have a bushfire in our area,"Jacob said.
"This is the next generation of fire fighters," said the Farmborough Heights brigade captain, David Pond. "It's great to see the look on their faces that they can do it. For some it's a career path they may not have considered."
Jindy Elith, 16, from Corrimal signed up for the course in the hope "it would be useful for me later in my life." She will consider joining a brigade when she finishes school and hopes it will help her achieve her longer-term goal to become a National Parks ranger.
Jamie Schofield, 16, from Thirroul, has friends who are fire fighters. "I want to be a fire fighter too, and this seems a good first step."
Ike Stroud, 16, from Bulli, was keen to be a part of the training. "I thought it would be a cool experience. It will be good to know more about fire safety."
Tom Favelle is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his father – who is a member of the Bulli brigade – and his pop, who volunteered in the NSW Central West.
Supporting the training program, Malcolm Bartrop from the Austinmer brigade said it was important to bring in new, younger volunteers as many in the RFS are ageing. "Like all organisations, it's getting harder to get people to serve, so it's important to attract younger ones," he said.
For young people wanting to sign on to a local brigade, it is recommended that parents meet with brigade leaders before their child joins and regularly throughout their child's participation, to discuss the programs and arrangements that are in place locally to support young members. Not all brigades will have the same procedures, as these can vary in each area.
For more information, visit the RFS website
