Lara recruits boost
New blood for firies
FIVE new recruits have joined the ranks at Lara fire station ahead of the busy summer season.
While many will no doubt be fresh-faced, the Mill Rd CFA station has been handed a recruit with more experience than most at the beginning of their firefighting career.
After almost 30 years as a carpenter, all while volunteering up to 20 hours per week with the Anglesea fire brigade, Andy Rankin is now a full-time member of the Lara CFA.
“I chose to follow the profession because of its challenges, as opposed to in the construction industry where I was quite used to doing the job,” Mr Rankin said.
“There are times when you’re sort of apprehensive or you need to keep your wits about yourself, but I’ll learn that on the job.”
Mr Rankin said while he was appreciative of the experience he’s had, he was under no illusion about the challenges ahead.
“The 20-week recruit course takes you to a new level of professionalism. The volunteering gave me an insight into the things that go on but there’s a lot more that I need to learn,” he said.
Mr Rankin was involved with the Wye River bushfires as well as the Black Saturday fires of 2009.
Only four shifts into his new job, Mr Rankin has already been confronted with a house fire.
“I said to the crew that I was with that my training as a career firefighter made me feel more comfortable, even though we get a level of training as volunteers,” Mr Rankin said.
“Community preparedness and preventive education is also a big part of what we do, so being on the truck is really only 3-5 per cent of what CFA career staff do.”