The Hodgman majority Liberal Government is committed to keeping Tasmanians safe from the threat of bushfires.
As the State prepares for the summer bushfire season, 13 trainee firefighters put their skills to the test at the Cambridge Training Facility today. The trainees began their four month training course in the first week of October and will graduate in mid-February as ‘truck-ready’ members of the dedicated and hard-working Tasmanian Fire Service team.
All trainees have been through a rigorous selection process to determine their suitability for a demanding and rewarding career in firefighting including background check, physical, psychological and aptitude testing.
Consolidating their bushfire fighting theory with practical exercise through-out the course, the recruitment of these 13 new firefighters will bring the total number of career firefighters in the State to 336.
The Trainees come from a diverse range of employment backgrounds, including a former wildlife ranger, former electricians, a paramedic student, an occupational therapist and a chef. The training focuses on the core operations of TFS such as urban fire, wildfire, road crash rescue, first aid and hazmat.
The recruits will operate as part of a wider Tasmanian firefighting capability, and a new Inter-Agency Protocol is now in place for Tasmania’s three fire agencies. The protocol will further enhance the cooperation of the agencies in line with Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council recommendations.
Bushfires remain an ongoing threat but Tasmanians are safer thanks to the tireless efforts of the TFS, Parks and Wildlife Service, and Sustainable Timbers Tasmania, and continued investment in technology, resources and the Government’s nation-leading fuel reduction program.
More Media Releases from Mark Shelton
More Media Releases from the Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management