CFA celebrates youth volunteer

AS part of their recent International Youth Day celebrations, the CFA has honoured young local firefighter Ainsley Robinson.

A 17-year-old member of Bannockburn CFA, Ainsley has been part of the community organisation for six years.

“I started juniors when I was 11. My whole family was part of the brigade; my mum, dad and older sister, and I had lots of other family members, like my grandparents, involved in other brigades,” she said.

“That influenced me to join and just to be part of the community. My mum had moved up in the ranks as the captain of Bannockburn CFA, and it was inspiring to see her and some of the other women in the brigade.

“I wanted to be part of that strong female part of the brigade, so it inspired me to step up into becoming an active member.”

Moving out of the junior program in the last 12 months and into general firefighter training, Ainsley is now a more senior volunteer who is qualified to go to fires.

“I got ticked off in December last year and started going out on the back of a truck this year.

“I really enjoy the friends I’ve made through the CFA, and helping out the community in any way that I can, even though it’s a small part, but as a young person it feels like a lot of responsibility,” she said.

Ainsley was proud to be recognised on International Youth Day more broadly than her local CFA, and encourages others to give volunteer firefighting a go.

“It was nice to be celebrated. The youth will be supporting our brigade in the next couple of years as we lose our older members, so we really need to be keeping our younger members on.

“Even if you don’t think it would suit you, give it a crack. There are so many opportunities you get from it,” she said.

Currently studying floristry as a full-time apprentice, Ainsley has the goal of becoming another female CFA captain in the future.