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Indigenous Communities Briefed On Job Opportunities As Project Fire Fighters For the second year running, Department of Sustainability and Environment staff in Gippsland have presented information to young Indigenous people in Bairnsdale and Morwell regarding potential job opportunities as Project Firefighters. By Department of Sustainability and Environment - 21st July 2003 - Back to News The presentation was made recently to give Indigenous communities a good opportunity to apply for summer crew positions and obtain the necessary requirements to commence the training.
Brian Cotter, DSE Fire Management Officer from Cann River and Lionel Dukakis, Indigenous Facilitator for the region spoke to the two groups and gave them an introduction and an overview of what's expected from the Project Firefighter crews and how to apply for the positions.
Mr Cotter said that the 2002/03 fire season was exceptional, starting on Melbourne Cup day with a lightning strike near Cann River and developing into a very busy season until March this year.
"The Project 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 to start."
DSE manages public land and has the responsibility to prevent and suppress wildfires on all public land, whether in National Parks, State forests, or reserves. These areas cover seven million hectares, or one third of the state of Victoria, which is one of the most fire prone areas in the world.
Project Firefighters (PFFs) are hired each summer to help suppress wildfires, to support the Department's permanent specialised firefighters in the region. It is anticipated that approximately 150 PFFs will be recruited and trained in Gippsland for the 2003/04 fire season.
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 have a current drivers' 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.
Jobs will be advertised at the end of August in national, state and local papers. For more information, contact your nearest DSE office
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: support@gippsland.com
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