With volunteer firefighters 'exhausted' innovation might help them stay

Volunteer firefighter numbers are shrinking across Australia, including in the SA CFS. (ABC News: Simon Goodes) Link copiedShareShare articleDry grass crunches underfoot in another scorching hot day. It could begin with lightning, a harvesting accident, or an escaped burn-off. Fire hurtles towards the surrounding bush before a call is made to Triple Zero. Flames start to race through dry grass and branches. (AAP: Michael Currie) And this year is not like previous years. There are fewer rural volunteer firefighters to pick up the phone. Those that arrive are worn out from the last bushfire just a few months ago. And hot wind carries the blaze through paddocks and bushland at record speed. A rural fire volunteer battles a blaze. (ABC News: Molly Slattery) That is the real threat that looms over rural Australia where there's fewer volunteers than previous decades One of the world's largest volunteer fire services, the NSW Rural Fire Service, has seen its ranks decrease by more than 4,500 members since 2014–2015. The South Australian fire service is much smaller than its NSW counterpart but has still lost around 950 members over the last decade. Those that remain face the prospect of more frequent threats. In NSW, the RFS attended on average about 9,600 more incidents, including structure fires and motor vehicle accidents, than they did a decade ago. Volunteers see more floods and severe storms, while droughts also worsen the fire risks they face. It is an impending emergency experts say requires a complete rethink of volunteer firefighting. And it is looking to some of Australia's youngest to take up that challenge. South Australia's Country Fire Service said its volunteer numbers were down for a number of reasons. Its spokesperson says it was due to "changing work patterns, family commitments, and the larger national decline in volunteerism". Numbers for the volunteers aged 11–18, who form their own training brigades, have shifted much less than the adult equivalent. Situated outside Mount Gambier, the Compton CFS cadet brigade offers a glimpse at why that may be. The Compton group only started four years ago but has seen members graduate into operational roles in the main brigade, or continue with nearby brigades. While some cadets have hailed from generations of volunteer firefighters, others like Hanalie were simply lured in by connection. Hanalie says she wanted to do something different after quitting basketball. (Supplied: Hanalie) The 17-year-old used to play basketball as a hobby but sudden financial pressures on her household meant she could no longer afford the sport. Looking for an inexpensive alternative she was reminded of 2022 when fires raged across Mount Gambier. The teenager remembered how smoke filled the air and aerial firefighters flew on the horizon. "One of the nights we went out into the paddocks and just sat there and watched it all on fire," Hanalie says. Her home was safe, but the close call raised questions about what she would have done. Nearly a quarter of all western NSW Rural Fire Service volunteers are older than 70, but some younger recruits are urging others to follow in their footsteps. A recruitment ad in her school notices further intrigued her. Still, the shy teen didn't know if she would fit in with the local cadets. The community she found soon changed her view. "They were just easy to talk to," she says. "Everyone acted like they already knew me." Hanalie say the volunteering means she interacts with people who have differing experience and age. (Supplied: Hanalie/Compton CFS) As the Compton base became a home away from home, Hanalie's ties to the local community also strengthened. "Everyone here is really close," Hanalie adds. Research about volunteering shows Hanalie's story is the ideal model for retaining volunteers long-term, with strong social connection a vital component. Hanalie sees herself being a part of the rural firefighter base for years to come. (Supplied: Hanalie/Compton CFS) As a cadet Hanalie has learnt basic firefighting training, been a key part of community events and gained the confidence to be an active fire volunteer. One of her favourite drills in the weekly training sessions is a burn over where the cadets learn to react quickly to a hypothetical firestorm. She says it is drills like these which have given her the confidence to face real fires. "I feel now 'it's just a fire, it's nothing, I can work this out'," she says. Renee Ackerley, Compton SA CFS Brigade's cadet coordinator, says the brigade has been an excellent way for teens to get involved with their local community and gain real-world skills. He adds the cadet base has seen success reaching out to teens via schools and social media. For First Nations recruits the path to firefighting is demanding, competitive and often deeply personal. "The SA Country Fire Service's (CFS) cadet program is one of our most effective pathways for bringing y

With volunteer firefighters 'exhausted' innovation might help them stay

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