Forest Fire Management Victoria’s (FFMVic) newest recruits have been learning the ropes at a week-long training camp at Yackandandah in readiness for the summer bushfire season.
The training ensures project firefighters are ready to fight fires and complete work to help reduce bushfire risk.
This summer, FFMVic has employed 540 project firefighters to work alongside our experienced permanent crews to keep Victorians and the environment safe.
Within Hume Region 114 project firefighters will be based at depots at Corryong, Tallangatta, Alexandra, Marysville, Toolangi, Broadford, Kinglake, Benalla, Mansfield, Nathalia, Shepparton, Beechworth, Bright, Ovens and Mitta Valley.
Recruits undergo two weeks of classroom and field-based learning on topics including fire behaviour, safety and survival techniques, fire suppression, working with aircraft and planned burning.
The training camp provides opportunities for hands-on learning, from forceoperating water pumps and chainsaws, to driving specialised fire fighting vehicles.
In addition to emergency response, project firefighters also undertake mulching, mowing, slashing and spraying; maintaining fuel breaks and the public land road network; and trail and recreation site maintenance and planned burning.
This article appeared in the Corryong Courier, 28 November 2024.
