Kiama Fire and Rescue are strongly urging people with daytime availability to apply to become an on-call firefighter.

“Like in every industry, we’re short at the moment,” Captain Rhys Dawson says.

“We’re supposed to have a complement of 20 firefighters and at the moment, we’re down to 15.”

In order to protect the community, Captain Dawson says from time to time they have had to rely on people from other fire and rescue stations to cover Kiama.

With firefighting marked as one of the most important, rewarding and well-respected careers in the community, the position will suit anyone who wants to be involved in a community organisation and give back.

“We not only provide fire protection to the community but we respond to car accidents, HAZMAT incidents, rescues and bushfires outside of our area, while assisting the police, ambulance and SES,” Captain Dawson says.

“We also educate the community about fire hazards and fire safety. We do smoke alarm checks and go to schools and do education programs.

“It’s great to give back to the community.”

No experience is necessary with nationally recognised training provided and unlike the RFS, on-call firefighters will get paid for their callouts on a fortnightly basis. 

Captain Dawson says daytime on-call firefighting will suit people who work from home with flexible hours so they are able to duck away for periods of time, people who work shift work and people with casual or part time work.

Suitable applicants must be over the age of 18 years, have a driver’s licence and reside in the Kiama area.

Recruits will undergo a series of medical and police checks and a physical attribute test (information on what is involved can be found on the Fire and Rescue website) before being sent off to training where they will encounter live burns, search and rescue drills, and learn how fire progresses.

Apply at fire.nsw.gov.au or call the Kiama Station on 4224 2046. Another round of interviews for suitable applicants will begin shortly.