NEW WAVE OF RECRUITS

HE might have braved Tasmania’s most treacherous breaks, but for big wave surfer Marti Paradisis, he is just one of a team. Paradisis, of Clifton Beach, left, and hairdresser Elyse Hatchard, of Somerset, were among 15 Tasmania Fire Service trainees being put through their paces in a gruelling block of training. The recruits — 13 men and two women — were selected from 774 applicants.

TASMANIA Fire Service’s newest trainees have had their first real taste of life on the front line.

The 13 men and two women, aged between 26 and 40, were this week split in two groups to learn the core functions of firefighting — operating water pumps and breathing apparatus. They will swap next week.

Acting Senior Station Officer Adam Doran said it was one of the most challenging parts of the 15week course, but taught trainees how to function safely in dangerous environments.

“Even just putting the breathing apparatus on for the first time in the classroom can be quite confronting,” he said.

“We just get them used to the fact that they only have a limited supply of air and then we take away their vision and that’s very unique.

“One you start operating in the dark, then we add smoke, fire and other challenges that you wouldn’t necessarily face in any other environment.”

A similar approach is taken when learning to handle the water pumps, with the trainees eventually building up to a bushfire tanker.

Other focuses during the program include core response activities such as road crash rescue and hazmat, as well as developing leadership skills.

The trainee firefighters will graduate on October 4.