WHEN Balranald Fire Station captain Kaitley Linnett was young, she was always interested in the small interactions she had with emergency services.
“I was always fascinated when the local fire station came to the school in the big red fire truck,” she said.
“Little did I know that I would become a firefighter myself, drive a fire truck and be the captain of the local fire station.
“When I was a kid, my idea of firefighters was that they only attended to fires.”
After joining the Balranald brigade in 2020, Ms Linnett discovered this wasn’t the case.
“We attend to many other emergency calls,” she said. “Assisting the ambulance, assisting the public and police, automatic fire alarms, smoke alarms in houses, and motor-vehicle accidents.
“We don’t just attend to emergency calls, we also get together for training twice a month and get out in the community to provide awareness of fire safety.
“We provide free smoke alarms to the community and install them for free. If you are interested in this service, please reach out.
“I have gained many skills involving how to use different equipment that we use attending incidents and have gained more confidence in myself.”
Earlier this year she was named captain at Balranald.
For Ms Linnett, who juggles her role as captain with her job as a local teacher’s aide, working in a community like Balranald is both challenging and rewarding.
“We are a small group of members from the community who want to keep our community safe,” she said. “We all work together and help each other out.
“It can be challenging when we are called to incidents involving people that I or a crew member knows. However, we have supports and steps that we follow when this occurs.
“The most rewarding part of being captain is seeing my team grow and develop their skills in using the equipment that is stored on the fire truck, learning and meeting new people and working as a team.”
Ms Linnett wants prospective NSW Fire and Rescue members to know that she thinks she has the best job.
“I wish I had joined earlier!” she said. “Don’t think too hard, it’s the best job. You choose the hours you’re available to respond to emergency calls in the community.
“It’s a great way to meet new people from other areas in NSW and others in our local community. I have met so many people from other NSW Fire and Rescue stations that I keep in contact with regularly.”
Residents considering joining the brigade should call 0418 472 067 or visit the station at 123 Market Street, Balranald.
