FIREFIGHTERS NEED YOU

Kiama Fire and Rescue are strongly urging people with daytime availability to apply to become an on-call firefighter.

“Like in every industry, we’re short at the moment,” says Captain Rhys Dawson (pictured).

“We’re supposed to have a complement of 20 firefighters and at the moment, we’re down to 15.”

In order to protect the community, Captain Dawson says they have had to rely on people from other Fire and Rescue stations to cover Kiama.

With firefighting marked as one of the most important, rewarding and well-respected careers in the community, the position will suit anyone who wants to be involved in a community organisation and give back.

“We not only provide fire protection to the community but we respond to car accidents, HAZMAT incidents, rescues and bushfires outside of our area, while assisting the police, ambulance and SES,” Captain Dawson says. “We also educate the community about fire hazards and fire safety. We do smoke alarm checks and go to schools and do education programs.

“It’s great to give back to the community.”

No experience is necessary with nationally recognised training provided and unlike the RFS, on-call firefighters will get paid for their callouts on a fortnightly basis.

Captain Dawson says daytime on-call firefighting will suit people who work from home with flexible hours so they are able to duck away for periods of time, people who work shift work and people with casual or part time work.

Suitable applicants must