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DSE Briefs Indigenous Communities On Firefighter Opportunites

The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) is encouraging members of indigenous communities to take the opportunity to train as Project Firefighters (PFFs) for the coming fire season.

By Department of Sustainability and Environment - 12th August 2004 - Back to News

This is the third year that the Department in Gippsland has run information sessions for indigenous people across the region to raise awareness of the employment possibilities in the Department during fire season.

Fire Management Officer Brian Cotter and Indigenous Facilitator, Lionel Dukakis are travelling around the region conducting information sessions, presented in Orbost, Bairnsdale, Sale, Morwell and Drouin.

Mr Cotter said that after recent fire seasons and in response to the Victorian Bushfire Inquiry outcomes, the Department is keen to encourage more people to apply for these positions.

"These seasonal firefighters are the backbone of our fire suppression activities and it's vital that we have highly trained, fit people in these positions," he said.

"With indigenous people wanting more of a say in the management of our natural resources, this is a great place for them to start."

Mr Cotter said that in the first year that DSE ran this program, there were no indigenous PFFs in Gippsland.

"Since then, we've had a significant increase in interest from the indigenous community and an increase in uptake of young indigenous people training and working as PFFs."

Project Firefighters (PFFs) are hired each summer to help suppress wildfires, to support the Department's permanent specialised firefighters in the region.

Albert Baxter from Bairnsdale is a young indigenous man who trained and worked as a PFF last fire season. Albert said that it was a great experience and the training helped him out with other jobs too.

"Being a part of the crew on the fireline is great and the best thing about it is that you're not in the same place for more than two days at a time," he said.

"The work itself is very varied and I've made a lot of good friends all over the state.

"I think that having a Koori person out there in the bush will help our culture and help protect indigenous sites. It means we can educate white people about some of that history and create a better understanding of our issues.

"With our help they'll know what they're looking at as they're going through the bush and can try to work around and protect some of those cultural heritage sites."

DSE trains three categories of PFFs: general firefighters, hover exit crews and rappel crews. All these positions have their place in the effective response to a wildfire, particularly when fires are in remote and inaccessible areas.

Applicants for the PFF positions must hold a current driver’s licence. They must be able to work safely and effectively in a team environment and have the ability to follow written and verbal instructions.

The work is physically demanding, can involve travelling over long distances in remote parts of the state and is often hot, dirty and dangerous.

The application process includes a basic medical examination and a task-based assessment. Training is conducted at camps at Forestech in Bairnsdale and at Rawson near Erica over a two-week period.

Successful applicants can expect to get straight into work in forest management: clearing tracks, erecting fences and signs, fire protection works, burning and slashing before the fire season begins.

Brian Cotter and Lionel Dukakis encouraged the indigenous groups to take the message about Project Firefighter training out into their communities and let more young people know about the program and how they can apply for a position.

"We need more Aboriginal people working in and with this department to help us manage the land for everyone."

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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