Brigade seeks more members

‘‘The interesting thing is we have had people wanting to join us thinking it was a paid position and — far from being disappointed — upon joining they are sorry that they did not approach us to volunteer years ago,’’ Mr Hilder said.

A driver for Dysons transporting V/Line passengers, Mr Hilder understands that a person’s work may have to take precedence over volunteering.

‘‘If I know that I will be unavailable because I am working elsewhere I will let the station know; that way when the call goes out no-one is waiting for firefighters to arrive at the station who are not coming due to work,’’ he said.

‘‘The fire trucks can be on their way to the incident.

‘‘I have to say a major thank-you to three big employers in town — Woolworths, Dysons and Saputo — who all let their employees who are volunteer firefighters go in order to serve the community.

‘‘All employers who let their staff serve in an emergency are well and truly putting back into their community and their support is greatly appreciated.

‘‘In the past a major concern of would-be volunteers has been insurance and who covers who if they are volunteering with the brigade here in Cobram. The simple fact is that once you acknowledge the beeper that you are on your way, you are covered by the CFA’s insurance.’’

Employers can contact the CFA to find out the benefits for businesses supporting the community in this way.

Mr Hilder has been involved in the CFA since he was a young boy.

‘‘My father and grandfather were both captains in the brigade; I think they were both delighted that I could follow in their footsteps,’’ he said.

Asked about the positives of the job, Mr Hilder regards seeing members of the public thanking all emergency service personnel as a great thing.

‘‘Saying ‘g-day’ to us in the street makes us feel appreciated. It is very nice to be thanked by complete strangers who may not have needed us yet but understand how seriously we take our role in the community.

‘‘The CFA is a very welcoming organisation; the friends that you will make here will be friends for life.

‘‘The CFA will assist volunteers in learning practical real-world skills — you can even undertake training to drive the firetrucks. Any course that we run is at no cost to the volunteer.’’

The flip side to all of this is of course helping people at the most dire times of their lives.

‘‘However on occasion devastation occurs and the only way to look at it is, well, at least they (those whose dwelling catches fire) are on the footpath alive.

‘‘Please, never think that following a particularly harrowing incident that we all just come back to the station, take off our PPE (personal protective equipment) and in doing so we leave that event behind us — we all have hearts and minds.’’

Mr Hilder said responding to call-outs to illegal fires during prohibited fire periods was another situation that could be hard to take.

‘‘Sometimes we have to put out a fire on private property because the alarm has been raised and there will be a backlash from the owner. People have to understand it’s our job, and no fires means no fires.’’

The brigade currently has 40 personnel on its books, but only 15 are active attending firefighters and Mr Hilder would like to double that number.

Those who might prefer to work in a less combative or support role are also welcome to put their hand up.

‘‘Just let us know and we can find a role you might be more suited to,’’ Mr Hilder said.

Touch base with the brigade on its Facebook page ‘Cobram Fire Brigade – CFA’ or call into the station in Colgan St, Cobram.