Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) has grown by 30 with the graduation of Recruit Course 108 in Brisbane today.
Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Craig Crawford said the latest graduating class of Fire and Rescue officers were a welcome boost to Queensland’s firefighting frontline.
“It’s fantastic to finish the year celebrating the graduation of 30 new recruits who will head out into Queensland communities,” Mr Crawford said.
“Our firefighters, with world-class training under their belts, are primed and ready to start building connected and resilient communities.”
Representing Minister Crawford at the graduation ceremony, Member for Macalister Melissa McMahon said the recruits were now equipped to face all kinds of emergencies and disasters.
“Whether they’re called out to a house blaze, accident on the road or even a rogue grass fire, our new fire recruits are ready to face it all,” she said.
“They have specialised training in live fire behaviour, road crash rescue, technical rescue and hazardous materials management.”
In completing the course, firefighters were presented with a Certificate II in Public Safety (Firefighting and Emergency Operations).
Recruit Dev Lahey, who will be based in Gladstone, said he enjoyed learning new skills during the course, particularly live fire and road crash rescue training.
“You learn these skills and things you’ve never done before, and it all prepares you for the role of a firefighter,” Mr Lahey said.
“I’m most excited about facing the unknown – every job you’re called to is different and we’ll be challenged from the get go, until the end of our careers.
“I’ve also enjoyed the camaraderie of everyone going through the course together.
“You enter the course with people you’ve never met and then you all become good friends.
“It’s been fantastic and now I’m ready to hit the ground running.”
QFES Commissioner Greg Leach said he was extremely proud to welcome the new recruits into the ranks.
“As only a recent member of QFES myself, I know how it feels to start the journey with the department,” Mr Leach said.
“And I can assure our recruits that they will be warmly welcomed and made to feel right at home in fire stations across the state.”
Recruits will continue their studies over the next two years, completing a Certificate III in Public Safety (Firefighting and Emergency Operations) and a Certificate III in Public Safety (Community Safety).
