YP FIRES: Weary veterans – where are the young guns?
YP FIRES: Weary veterans – where are the young guns?
24 November 2009
published by www.ypct.com.au
Australia– Out of the smoke of last Thursdays grass fire at Curramulka, CFS trucks rolled into the main street of Curry and pulled up, one after the other at the standpipe in front of the pub.
Weary bodies slowly dismounted. Tired eyes stared from worn-out faces as the volunteer firefighters made their way to the verandah, the green vine tendrils and shade a welcome sight.
These firefighters welcome drinks to wash the smoke and dust from dry throats. Photos: Ros WhiteEven more welcome were two large ice boxes with refreshments, to which they avidly helped themselves.
They had been battling, not just the radiant heat and flames of a grass fire, but the air temperature on Thursday in the sun would have hit 50 degrees or more.
With blackened hands, they gratefully lifted bottles of water or soft drink to parched lips, and sat wearily on seats or the ground, glad to have a few minutes of respite while others refilled the trucks with water. Sweat poured readily down their faces, and a bit of water splashed from a tank on the back of a ute didnt go astray for a few.
Some gazed into the distance, others engaged in a bit of camaraderie a slap on the back, a rub of tousled hair or beards.
Surveying the scene, something is obviously missing. These are all older firefighters, some in the later decades of their lives. Where are the young guns?
They were noticeable by their absence. No youthful vigour to help these older, experienced, but exhausted volunteers. The bottom line is they are all getting old.
A run around of most local CFS teams reveals a similar story, which is disturbing. This is a vital servicevital because, as the word denotes, it saves lives. Where are these lifesavers going to come from to fill the ranks?
Unfortunately, the volunteer spirit is beginning to wane in many country organisations, and it was starkly obvious at last weeks peninsula fires.
Can it be younger men and women are not prepared to put in the time required, which has increased over the years, due to more training and longer attendances at fires and accident scenes?
Times are tough, and for some to be away from their businesses or work means less money, and that is a hard call, in this economic climate.
But the call needs to go out, to encourage younger men and women to evaluate if they can join the ranks of these altruistic volunteers. And employers, can you back them up when one of your staff needs time off to risk life and limb to shore up our safety?
Where would we be without them?
Its not easy
Our older fellas pay the price for the next few days after a fire, said NYP Group Officer David Bussenschutt .
The average age in the CFS statewide is more than 40, and there is a hole in the 24-35 year age bracket.
We need people who can commit some time. If there were more doing less, it would certainly be better than less doing more.
They dont have to be the first ones to respond to their pagers. There is room for all types of people. Some may only be available at certain times. Thats okay, David said.
Age is no barrier, and we are an equal opportunity employer. Although we only have a few women in the ranks, some occupy positions of captains, lieutenants and group officers across the state.
Some people may think they dont have the skills, but we provide extensive training. Until they have the necessary skills they dont get near a truck, David stressed.
When I first joined the CFS, there were probably 150 farming families between Agery and Kadina and as soon as you got your licence, you joined the CFS. Now there are probably only 50 families to draw from. So our pool of farming volunteers has diminished over the years too.
Its not easy to juggle home life, family, work commitments and CFS.
It is a huge ask, but we are asking.
For as someone once told me, If you dont put into a community, there will be no community.
