NEW firefighter recruits have spent the week in training to help protect Loddon-Mallee communities ahead of the upcoming bushfire season.
Thirty-six Forest Fire Management Victoria’s (FFMVic) firefighters are completing a training camp this month, learning the skills needed to protect communities and the environment from bushfires.
FFMVic Loddon-Mallee regional training coordinator Travis Storer said the course covered firefighting fundamentals including fire behaviour, fire suppression, planned burning, safety and survival techniques.
“Our new firefighters are completing a mix of classroom theory and field-based activities to prepare them for the demands fighting bushfires as well as the varied role of a forest firefighter,” Mr Storer said.
“Forest firefighters rely extensively on dry firefighting techniques as water is often scarce in the middle of the bush.”
He said the course involved hands-on training in how to construct a control line as well as skills such as four-wheel driving and use of chainsaws and water pumps.
“These recruits will not only respond to bushfires across the region and state, they’ll also be conducting bushfire fuel management work such as planned burning, slashing, track clearing and other land management activities as part of their roles.
“Once they’ve successfully completed the course, the new recruits will work alongside our current staff, where they’ll continue with on-the-job learning from experienced firefighters while completing bushfire preparedness and response work.”
Eighteen of the recruits, which are a mix of project firefighters (PFFs) and current staff, took the course in St Arnaud this week and will spend part of next week in Swan Hill.
Mr Storer said this year FFMVic had recruited 87 PFFs in the Loddon-Mallee region, with the experienced already hard at work.
“Fifty-one of our PFFs who have worked with us during previous fire seasons have already gone straight to work on bushfire fuel reduction activities ahead of fire season,” he said.
Loddon-Mallee PFFs will be based in depots across the region including Mildura, Hattah, Robinvale, Swan Hill, Speed, Underbool, Werrimull and Echuca.
