About the IFARES program

THE Indigenous Fire and Rescue Employment Strategy (IFARES) program run by Fire and Rescue NSW is providing real opportunities to members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) communities to gain employment in a meaningful career, support their families and be role models to their communities.

IFARES was developed as a recruitment readiness program following feedback from Aboriginal participants of a “Be a Firefighter For a Day” event held in South Western Sydney in 2014.

A pilot program was developed by Aboriginal Firefighters, in collaboration with TAFE NSW, a Senior Operational Commander from South West Sydney and the Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Recruitment Team.

Successful completion of the IFARES training program leads to a Certificate IV in Fitness, a qualification for potential employment/ business as a personal trainer.

It also offers an insight into the role of a firefighter and can lead to further training and employment as a firefighter with FRNSW.

In 2017, 24 IFARES participants successfully gained the Certificate IV in Fitness with 16 participants gaining employment as firefighters after graduating from the FRNSW State Training Academy.

Ten graduates from the 2018/19 IFARES program will join recruit Fire Fighter classes in 2020.

Since the inception of the strategy in 2014, 60 graduates have been successful in becoming firefighters – 55 in FRNSW and five in the ACT.

A spokesperson for FRNSW said the organisation is proud of the fact that this is a grass roots-led initiative developed by its Indigenous staff.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander men and women who have thought about becoming Firefighters now have a chance to join the program. “FRNSW in partnership with TAFE NSW is proud to announce that our Tracks to IFARES program is open and ready for applications and will close at midnight on November 15, 2019,” the spokesperson said. z Further information can be found at www.fire.nsw.gov.au