Growing up in Warburton, Danielle Johnston was fascinated by the Forest Fire Management Victoria crews conducting planned burns across the road from her childhood home, dreamt about doing that one day.
Straight out of high school, Danielle pursued her passion for conservation by completing a diploma at Swinburne University. It was after her time there that she applied for both the Fire Support Officer (FSO) and Project Firefighter (PFF) programs, inspired by her childhood admiration for firefighting operations.
Danielle went on to complete the General Firefighter training, which has given her a great foundation for the work crews undertake when out in the bush. As a Fire Support Officer, she does a variety of work in emergency preparedness such as organising deployment availabilities, preparing resources, and fatigue management. Danielle has honed her skills behind the scenes, ready to support frontline efforts.
During her time at PFF training, Danielle learned a lot from her colleagues.
“I love how knowledgeable the staff are, whether they have been with the department for 2 years or 20, I felt I could learn something from everyone. Each person is happy to share their knowledge and experience.”
All PFFs receive comprehensive training and must become accredited general firefighters before heading out into the field.
“The training prepares you for everything you do daily, I have learned so much more and had many more opportunities than I thought I would,” Danielle reflected.
Since the training, Danielle has embraced the challenges of a variety of tasks in the bush, from working with crews to conducting local planned burns, undertake maintenance of walking tracks, and storm recovery work.
One of the highlights for Danielle has been the opportunity to work in interesting locations, often places the public can’t access, such as the fire towers located in the Yarra State Forest where staff look for and track incidents, while getting to take in the amazing views of Melbourne. Danielle has also gained an appreciation for the work of tower operators.
“You can see so much from the top and it's cool to see the work they do,” she said.
Beyond the variety that operational firefighting offers, Danielle found fulfilment in community engagement.
“Meeting members of the community, understanding their concerns, and witnessing their appreciation for the work that we do is deeply rewarding.”
Join our ranks as Project Firefighters for the 2024/25 season
Forest Fire Management Victoria is recruiting Project Firefighters for the 2024/25 season from 4-28 July 2024.
This is your chance to make a profound impact, protect our communities, and preserve the beauty of our natural landscapes.
Recruitment window
4 to 28 July 2024
Opportunity
Open to all, with designated positions available for Aboriginal applicants, affirming our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
For more information on the roles and responsibilities, and to join this fulfilling journey, please visit Firefighting & employment.
More Our People, Their Stories
Discover more about the inspiring journeys and tales of our team who 'down tools' to play an important role in bushfire suppression and prevention activities, including planned burning.
Our People, Their Stories invites you to explore these impactful stories and the dynamic nature of firefighting.
Page last updated: 25/06/24