by Kathy Gandolfi
GAIN skills and friends for life while helping the community, said Country Fire Service (CFS) Regional Training Officer Scott Murray in welcoming nine new firefighters last weekend.
Undertaking their basic training to become firefighters with the CFS at Mount Gambier’s combined emergency services centre, the nine recruits included four from Western Flat, three from Nangwarry and one each from Southend and Woolumbool.
Their inclusion as new fire-fighters in the region comes as the official fire danger season for the upper south east began last Monday and will begin for the lower south east next Monday.
The recruits began their training last Friday evening and continued the course through Saturday and Sunday.
To give the recruits this training, Mr Murray was joined by two volunteer instructors from Mount Schank and Wandilo along with two State based instructors from Clare and the Adelaide Hills.
Encouraging others to join the CFS, Mr Murray said training involves a range of skills including and beyond fire fighting.
“CFS training gives recruits skills for a multitude of situations including bushfires, structure fires, hazardous material spills and road crashes,” said Mr Murray.
“As a member of the CFS, volunteers can gain life skills in many other areas offering certificate courses in such things as chainsaw operation, first aid, incident management and even have the potential to gain a truck license.
“Our training provides the skills to dispel the fear of fire fighting and we have thousands of people, both men and women, from 16 year olds to those in their 70’s, helping their communities in a wide range of roles within the CFS.”
Mr Murray said volunteers only need to give whatever time they could.
“Every little bit helps,” he said.
“After undertaking basic training, the only mandatory training is an annual skills maintenance drill (burn-over drill) which involves just one training session.
“Volunteers are given all the protective gear they need from specialised overalls to gloves, boots and helmets; there are no out of pocket expenses including covering any accommodation and food costs associated with training courses.
“And you get to meet some extremely fun characters within the CFS, amazing people with whom you make friends for life.
“Not that it is a dating service, but there are even a few couples that have met and got married through being CFS volunteers.
“As a CFS volunteer, you get to be a member of one of the largest organisations in the world – the brother and sisterhood of firefighting,” said Mr Murray.
“There is the opportunity to volunteer as a firefighter in other States and even overseas with volunteers in recent years sent to Canada, the United States and Greece.
“With about 80 brigades in the South East, there is one not that far from you.
“It doesn’t matter if you live in a town or on the land, there is an opportunity to help your neighbours,” said Mr Murray encouraging anyone interested in becoming a volunteer to contact their closest brigade.
