General News
11 February, 2025
CFA volunteering worthwhile
A recent government report found volunteer firefighters in the CFA are down over 20 percent since 2014 impacting fire brigades across the Central Goldfields Shire.
The Report on Government Services 2025 found there are 28,906 volunteer firefighters in Victoria, a drop of 21.5 percent from 36,823 volunteers in 2014-15.
According to local CFA group officer, Peter Higgins, the decline of volunteers is felt in fire brigades across the region increasing how often individual volunteers are in the truck.
Considering why this may be the case, among other factors he identified the time commitment as a challenge.
“The biggest thing with volunteering is commitment. I don’t think people have that drive to commit now. There’s a lot of other stuff going on in their lives,” he said.
Local fire brigades are experiencing the same membership struggle as many local community groups currently face. Mr Higgins described volunteering as a dated passion that’s being reflected in dwindling number.
However, Mr Higgins finds this trend shifts when people see the “big red truck on TV”.
“You tend to get that influx of people wanting to join after seeing the bright stuff,” he said.
When there are big fires in the state, for example what was recently seen in the Grampians, local brigades see an influx of volunteers.
What Mr Higgins finds is if five people join, he can expect to keep two or three. Many of whom will then go on to become good friends.
“I’ve made some really good friends in CFA that, if I were to quit CFA, those friends would still be friends,” he said.
“Most brigades are pretty close. We can go into a neighbouring brigade and put out a fire and after the fire we have a bit of a thing where someone goes ‘who’s shouting the coffees’. It doesn’t matter what state the CFA goes into it’s just that camaraderie that exists in CFA.”
However the lack of volunteers has its strain on existing members. For example, relief crews end up reusing volunteers from earlier crews.
“Sometimes the same members keep committing their lives to CFA,” he said.
This cycle requires more time from local firefighters, one made possible by “magnificent employers here in Maryborough”.
“They need to be commended as well. They’re worth their weight in gold,” he said.
For those interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter they can put in an expression of interest on the CFA’s website and nominate their local brigade.
“You can go to a fire 100 km away and you just rock up, get out the door, and it’s friendship,” Mr Higgins said.