Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is seeking community-minded men and women to join the ranks of its retained, or on-call, firefighters at Bingara Fire Station to ensure this vital service to the community continues.
Bingara Station Commander John Gill said the station was short of firefighters and appealed to local residents looking for a challenge, to consider applying.
“Your local fire station relies on people in the community to put their hand up to become firefighters – without that support, regional fire stations cannot survive,” John said.
Retained firefighters balance work and family commitments to respond to fires and other emergencies on an ‘on-call’, part time basis.
Training includes advanced first aid, heavy vehicle driving and how to deal with emergencies such as fires, road accidents and hazardous material spills.
Firefighters also educate the community on fire safety and prevention.
“Retained firefighters are on call, however this does not mean that you have to be available every minute of everyday,” said John.
“Sharing availability with other retained firefighters can reduce any potential impact on work and private life.”
FRNSW Commissioner Greg Mullins said retained firefighters played a critical role in the delivery of fire and emergency services across regional and rural NSW.
“You don’t need to be superman or superwoman to be a firefighter – we want people who are reliable and keen to help others, especially local residents who are available to respond to emergencies during the day,” Commissioner Mullins said.
“If you’re a local employer, think about encouraging your staff to become firefighters. Not only will you be helping the community, but your staff will be trained in a whole range of skills.”
For more information on becoming a retained firefighter, contact the Tamworth Zone Office on (02) 6766 5598.
