By Tyler Wright
The Upper Ferntree Gully CFA Fire Brigade is holding a recruitment drive to attract new members after losing volunteers since the beginning of the pandemic.
Held in the outside and inside area of Maxi Foods on Burwood Highway in Ferntree Gully on Saturday 13 August, Upper Ferntree Gully Fire Brigade Captain Peter Smith will be looking to draw in at least half a dozen new recruits.
The brigade currently has 35 and 40 members, but Peter said more are needed to attend the almost 200 callouts it receives annually.
“There’s been a lot of things that have added up to having a look at [new] members; we’re a pretty stable group, but we need to add on to it,” Peter said.
“You lose one you’ve got to gain two to keep changing over because not everybody stays…we need to replenish up again.”
Getting involved in volunteering for the CFA does not only involve getting on the back of a truck and turning out to fires.
“We’ve also got roles with secretaries and treasurers and community safety,” Community Engagement Coordinator for CFA’s District 13 Headquarters Tarryn Campbell said.
“We need operational members to turn out to jobs and incidents but anyone that’s willing to put their name forward and have a conversation with the brigade and see if it’s the right fit for them, they’re definitely looking for more people.
We usually have a role that will suit anybody that’s willing to put their name forward.”
On the day of the recruitment drive a hazard kitchen with a stimulated stovetop will also be used to demonstrate how to safely use a fire blanket and avoid kitchen fires; an issue prevalent within the Ferntree Gully community.
“[In 2020] we had three kitchen fires in a matter of about four weeks… so this is a very handy bit of apparatus for us to use that actually stimulates what happens,” Peter said.
“I think it’d be good for some of the kids even to have a look at it and say ‘hey, this is not good’.
“Teenagers are now cooking stuff for themselves and Upper Ferntree Gully is an older community; a lot of [people] wouldn’t have even heard of a fire blanket… It at all coincides with hopefully getting people involved and wanting to do something. And that’s where the recruiting part of it comes in.”
Tarryn said across Victoria there are about 3000 house fires a year on average and an amount of these has increased locally.
“Whether it’s candles when [people] lose power, being at home more often, heaters [being] used more frequently, open fires in winter, [we’re] just making sure we’re sending those educational messages out to people to do the right thing,” she said.
Anyone, despite their gender or background, can volunteer for the CFA.
“You get so many skills from volunteering and safety, there’s training opportunities, leadership opportunities, personal and professional development opportunities that you get through volunteering – so you don’t just you’re not just giving all of your time for nothing in return, you’re helping that community but you also can improve your own personal skill sets,” Tarryn said.
If those interested can not attend the recruitment drive from 8:00am to 1:00pm on Saturday 13 August, more information on volunteering for the CFA is available via https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/volunteers-careers/volunteer-with-cfa
