General News
31 October, 2022
Summer firies in training
SEASONAL firefighters will be based at Inglewood this summer after completing their training course last week. Twenty-five new Forest Fire Management Victoria recruits were put through their paces in Mildura this week in what FFMV said was a rigorous...
SEASONAL firefighters will be based at Inglewood this summer after completing their training course last week.
Twenty-five new Forest Fire Management Victoria recruits were put through their paces in Mildura this week in what FFMV said was a rigorous training course to learn skills needed to protect communities and the environment from bushfires.
Mallee workcentre operations co-ordinator Robert Tucker said the course covered the essential elements of firefighting including fire behaviour, fire suppression, planned burning, emergency safety and survival techniques.
“These recruits will not only respond to bushfires and other emergencies, including floods, they’ll also be conducting planned burns, slashing, track clearing and other land management activities,” Mr Tucker said.
“Our recruits are being trained in how to use a rakehoe to construct mineral earth control lines as well as other skills such as four-wheel driving, water pumps, hand tool maintenance, which are essential for forest firefighting.
“Once they’ve successfully completed the course, the trainees will work alongside FFMVic’s permanent staff where they’ll continue with on-the-job learning from experienced firefighters on potential deployments to assist with flood response.
“Later in the year, when things dry up, they will continue to work alongside our permanent firefighters to complete fire protection work, respond to bushfires or other emergencies.”
Mr Tucker said FFMVic had recruited 92 firefighters in the Loddon Mallee Region to help keep communities safe with “67 of our firefighters having worked with us during previous fire seasons so have gone straight to work to helping with the floods in Bendigo and other parts of the state as well as bushfire reduction activities ahead of the fire season. All 92 seasonal firefighters in the Loddon Mallee will be on board by mid-November.
The region’s firefighers will be also be based at depots in Bendigo, Echuca, Castlemaine, Cohuna, Heathcote, Maryborough, Rushworth, Macedon, Avoca, St Arnaud, Hattah, Mildura, Robinvale, Swan Hill, Speed, Underbool, Werrimull and Rainbow.