Getting the future fire ready

MEMBERS of the Inverleigh CFA are aiming to train up the next generation of firies with their juniors program underway.

Following their first event in June, the brigade’s second session took place early last week, with the program to run on the third Monday of every month at 6pm.

Inverleigh Captain Andrew Collins said the purpose of the program is to get kids interested in volunteer firefighting from a young age.

“It’s aimed at encouraging these juniors to actually stay within the CFA ranks as they get older and hopefully becoming fully-fledged firefighters after they turn 18,” he said.

“It’s aimed at parents too and possibly their friends and others in the community to build that interest.

“Our brigade isn’t as strong in membership right now. We only have 22 active members so it’s about future-proofing our ranks.”

Since starting, the program has grown to nine young participants between the required ages of 11 and 15 years old, with each child receiving their own uniform.

With six brigade members coordinating the program, the first session focused on fire safety while last week’s meet-up featured equipment handling and a firefighting simulation within a smoke-filled shed.

Captain Collins said the kids will be able to do everything a firie does at their station short of live firefighting with plans to host that activity at the CFA’s training grounds at Ballan.

“They can do anything within the realm of safety,” he said. “They can go on a truck and pump hoses, that sort of thing.

“We’re going to aim to have the live fire training towards the end of the year.”

Captain Collins said the young participants will have more to benefit from the program than just fire management.

“It’s offering them something that will give them leadership roles and a lot of capabilities into their adulthood,” he said.

The juniors program is part of a CFA-wide initiative and parents will need to register their child to take part in the Inverleigh sessions at the organisation’s website.