DELWP With a brother and sister having already experienced working as Project Firefighters (PFF) it was a natural progression for Elijah Firth to follow their lead.
Elijah was so keen to join the ranks of Forest Fire Management Victoria’s (FFMVic) seasonal firefighter even a possible conflict between VCE exams and PFF training didn’t stop him applying to become one of FFMVic’s more than 600 seasonal firefighters employed to keep Victorian communities safe from bushfires during the summer months.
‘My brother and sister, who were both lucky enough to get PFF roles out of high school, strongly encouraged me to apply for the position this season,’ Elijah said.
For the Dartmoor based Elijah this is his first full-time job since finishing high school.
“My last Year 12 exam actually interrupted my second day on the job,’ Elijah said.
“Prior to starting in this role, I spent many hours helping my father in the shearing shed and sheep yards after school, over most of my school holidays and on weekends.
‘I also did some work at the Mount Gambier District sale yards as a yard hand for a stock agent firm so I am really looking forward to working full time as a PFF.’
Coming from such a strong farming background, Elijah has always enjoyed being outside and interacting with the environment, going camping and fishing whenever possible so the outdoor natural of the PFF role is a perfect fit for him.
Elijah said the training process was kept interesting and enjoyable.
‘I was really interested to hear from the various people with roles within FFMVic who came to talk to us,’ he said.
‘And learning all about my role and the potential pathways and opportunities was really eye opening and exciting for the future.
“I also found going over the fleet of vehicles and equipment available exciting and starting to use some of them is always fun.’
Even though Elijah has lived in the region all his life, he feels he already has a better understanding of the area.
“I have enjoyed getting to know my ‘local’ area even more just by travelling to trainings and the few days I have had out in the field,’ Elijah said.
‘The PFF role can have you in a different location each day so there couldn’t be a better job for me out there.’
Since finishing his initial training, Elijah have been going out with the crew to clear tracks and continuing to learn so he will be ready to go out if any fires happen to start.
To register your interest in becoming a project firefighter for the 2022/23 season visit the Firefighting and Employment page.
Page last updated: 15/02/22