By Natasha Fujimoto
A CRITICAL volunteer workforce that supports over 1200 communities across Victoria in responding to a range of emergencies including fire, flood and other natural disasters, the CFA is the backbone of Victoria’s emergency response network.
With more than 52K volunteers delivering prevention, preparedness, response and recovery activities across the state every single day, the opportunities for new volunteers wanting to get involved are not only significant but varied.
Volunteering for 53 three years, Tatura CFA Captain Trevor Franklin said that joining the authority enables individuals to give back to their communities and feel a sense of achievement, but not everyone has to become an accredited operational fire-fighter to do so, with plenty of valued, non-operational roles to be filled.
While all volunteers are presented with opportunities to forge leadership and management experience at the same time meeting new friends and developing life-skills, non-operational volunteers can work to educate and engage the community in fire safety, assist residents to develop fire plans, maintain station and station equipment, drive fundraising or even become a unit secretary or treasurer.
For those wishing to become a general firefighter or an operational volunteer, training can take up to six months, dependent upon the skill set and experience of the trainee.
Equipped with basic skills and safety requirements, newly accredited firefighters are mentored by senior brigade members as they begin to attend incidences, joining the thousands of volunteers from all walks of life who wish to serve their community in both emergency and non-emergency situations.
“To me it has been a privilege to provide the community with the service that we do, whether it has been responding to a fire or flood emergency or by educating the community; just like thousands of other likeminded CFA members across the state,” Trevor said. If you’re interested in joining CFA or learning more about volunteering, visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au/volunteer.
