Firefighters from Dungog Fire and Rescue NSW recently participated in a house fire simulation exercise.
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Crews from Morpeth, Raymond Terrace, and Cessnock travelled to Dungog to take part.
The exercise simulated a house fire with a person trapped inside.
A smoke machine simulated the fire and a life-like dummy was ‘rescued’ from the fire.
The aim was to get water onto the fire and rescue the person trapped inside as quickly as possible.
Fire and Rescue NSW Inspector Michael Woodward said he was very pleased with the efforts of the crews.
“Being able to respond quickly is critical in a house fire where life is at risk,” Inspector Woodward said.
“Minutes matter, and the training session was a chance to practice our skills and make sure we are there to help people as quickly as possible.”
Fire and Rescue NSW firefighters at Dungog are retained or on-call firefighters who balance work and family commitments to work on an ‘on call’ part-time basis.
Dungog Fire Station is currently short of firefighters with day time availability and is looking to recruit residents to join the crew responding to fires and emergencies in the area.
“At emergencies there are often people watching who would like to help, but they may not always have the necessary training or equipment to be able to do so,” Inspector Woodward said.
“We are seeking people who are in town during the day to consider if becoming a retained firefighter is something they could do to help the local community.”
Retained firefighters receive a wide range of training including advanced first aid, heavy vehicle driving, and how to deal with emergencies such as fires, road accidents, and hazardous material spillages.
For more information on becoming a retained firefighter, contact the Lower Hunter Zone office on 4933 6139