Rodney Stevens

Fire and Rescue NSW has put the call out for community minded men and women to consider joining their ranks as on-call firefighters to fill three vacancies at Maclean and Yamba Fire stations.

On-call firefighters respond from home or work to fires and other emergency situations, making the role ideal for school leavers considering a career helping the community as part of the emergency services response.

Fire and Rescue NSW FRNSW Maclean station Captain Owen Gray said on-call firefighters balance work and family commitments to respond to fires and other emergencies on an ‘on call’, part-time basis paying an hourly rate with a monthly retainer.

With three current vacancies at Maclean and Yamba FRNSW stations, Captain Gray urged people of all ages, from all walks of life, to consider applying to become an on-call firefighter.

“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,” he said.

People applying to become an on-call firefighter must hold at least a P1 licence or a learner motorcycle licence, with applicants undertaking an interview, a medical assessment, and an aptitude test, before they are offered employment.

For their first six months, on-call firefighters are on probation.

On-call fire fighters are paid $31.23 per hour and a retainer of $73.77 per fortnight, plus they receive superannuation and annual leave.

The availability of an on-call firefighter is declared a week in advance, enabling them to maintain their employment and advise their station when they are available to respond.

In the event of an incident, on-call firefighters are notified by a pager, and then a mobile phone call.

Captain Gray said on-call firefighters undergo extensive training including advanced first aid, heavy vehicle driving, and how to deal with emergencies such as fires, road accidents and hazardous material spills.

He said firefighters are also involved in educating the community on fire safety and prevention.

“Being an on-call firefighter does not mean that you have to be available every minute of every day,” he said.

“Sharing availability with other on-call firefighters can reduce any potential impact on work and private life.”

FRNSW Commissioner Jeremy Frewtrell said on-call 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,” he 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 an on-call firefighter, contact the FRNSW Zone Office on 5646 2100 or visit www.fire.nsw.gov.au