Stepping up in the CFA together

BALLARAT Fire Brigade’s junior CFA program wraps up for young volunteers at sixteen-years-old.

With the option to move into the senior brigade as firefighters, it’s rare for more than one junior member to transition at once, but there’s a trio bucking the trend.

Blake Hindle, Liam Ryan and Liam Wright have all accepted the challenge to enter senior CFA ranks, enjoying the ways in which brigade service enriches their lives.

The prominence of constant training, positive teamwork and forming new friendships are things Mr Hindle loves.

“It’s a lot easier moving up when you’ve got someone around you that’s the same age to go up with. There’s someone you know and trust,” he said.

Mr Wright values the life skills he learns along the way.

“There’s lots of general stuff like using a radio, map reading and first aid,” he said. “But now we get to go to fires. We can help people.”

The CFA is a family affair for Ryan who has grown up around the iconic Ballarat East-based station.

“My dad’s been with the brigade for 28 years,” he said. “The brigade brings mateship.”

Ballarat Fire Brigade captain, Mark Cartledge said the volunteers are settling well into the adult group which is “one big family, side by side.

“The three of them have been seniors for about four or five months. They’re very active members, have shown a lot of respect for the brigade and commitment to helping the community,” he said.

“They learn their basic firefighting through the junior program, so it’s noticed when they’re assessed as a bushfire firefighter that they’ve already got a lot of skills and knowledge.”

Still under 18, the trio of young firefighters have supportive families, helping them get to brigade commitments. Wright even competed in Sydney’s recent Australian Fire Cadet Championships.

Looking further ahead to the future, the young men’s next goals are to receive road rescue training, and for some, to potentially become career firefighters.