CFA more than just fighting fires

THE CFA is calling on people to volunteer their time, learn new skills, and protect their community.

Currently 52,000 Victorians give their time with the CFA that offers flexible volunteering arrangements in a range of roles.

Aside from firefighters there are also positions that include leadership, community outreach, education, administration, and fundraising.

“Volunteers are the backbone of the firefighting and emergency response network across Victoria,” said CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan.

“We are calling on all community-minded individuals who are looking for a new challenge to consider joining their local brigade and apply their expertise and knowledge to CFA.”

More than 1200 brigades across Victoria respond to a wide range emergencies and serve and protect the community.

Captain of Glen Park Fire Brigade, Tracy Webber, said there is such a broad range of roles in the CFA.

“A lot of people automatically think its fighting fires but there’s so much more,” she said.

“We’ve got operational roles like firefighters and then we have a lot of non-operational roles so even things down to communications officers that organise crews for total fire bans, people who do gardening at the station, people who help us out doing education at local schools.”

Captain Webber takes care of administrative roles such as grant writing and supporting other members.

“I’m a little bit different to most of the volunteer captains in that I’m actually not operational as I’ve had several spinal surgeries that I’m recovering from.”

She said she has gained many skills and opportunities from being involved.

“There’s so much that comes from being a volunteer like the comradery that you get with the other volunteers,” she said. “You build a lot of friendships.

“Especially a community like ours where a lot of our community is farming, so there’s not a lot of other roles where you can help your community out.”

Commander Luke Kneebone agreed and said there are a lot of transferable skills volunteers gain from being part of a brigade.

“You get those transferable skills that every employer wants like leadership and team building,” he said.

“You end up getting more back in return whether that’s in how you feel or things you realise later that have come about because of it.”

Commander Kneebone said volunteer numbers in the CFA have been dwindling for several years due to multiple factors.

“We’re facing the same challenges as pretty much every community organisation with hours people have to give reduced,” he said.

“It’s been heading that way for a number of years with often both parents working and the latest housing crisis and financial challenges at the moment have only made that harder.

“Our numbers have declined which is why we are trying to show what you can get out of volunteering.”

To apply visit cfa.vic.gov.au/volunteer.