By Afraa Kori
In over 1200 communities across Victoria, CFA Brigade volunteers are proudly making a difference.
CFA Volunteers come from all walks of life, to give service to our community. Without the support from CFA members, our community does not have a fire service.
The Bunyip CFA is currently recruiting new members! Could you give them a hand?
Captain of the Bunyip Fire Brigade Jason Boler said the “someone else will do it” attitude is the main problem facing the service.
“We’re not getting a lot of volunteering happening these days. If everybody had the attitude that someone else will do it, well, we’re not going to have a fire service like this.”
Captain Boler who runs his own earth-moving business and is a father of two reassures the community that volunteering is manageable.
“People say I’m too busy. Everyone’s busy. I run my own earth-moving business. I still manage to juggle the whole lot.”
By joining a local CFA is the most rewarding way you can give back to your local community.
“You might save somebody’s house or life, property, or something like that,” Mr Boler said.
“It’s such a good team and it’s also a good networking tool. My 21 years in the CFA, I have made many friends and most of them will be friends for the rest of my life. I’ve learned so much just by being a volunteer in the CFA. It’s helped me, as an individual, succeed and excel in my career.”
The Bunyip CFA welcome all members of the community of all ages and skills. Mums, dads, professionals, tradespeople, students, unpaid professionals, retirees – everyone is welcome to apply.
There are many ways you can lend a hand. Fighting fires, educating your community on fire safety or supporting the team from behind the scenes.
There are roles for everyone. Operational roles like firefighting and emergency response or Support roles like business management, social media or community education.
Their next recruit course for operational firefighters is scheduled to begin in March, which is the primary focus of their current recruitment drive.
With full training and support from your local brigade, you can learn exciting new skills, connect with new people and play a vital role in your community.
CFA Volunteering requires no prior experience, just a can-do attitude and willingness to learn. They are also very flexible with availability, and for operational members, once qualified, they train once a week, have a general meeting once a month, and attend emergency incidents when available.
Currently Bunyip has 43 total members, of which 31 are operational firefighters, in 2024 they attended 103 emergency incidents, and are already at 18 for the calendar year 2025.
The Primary Response area covers 165km² of Bunyip, Garfield, Tonimbuk, Iona, Vervale, Garfield North, Bunyip North, and the Bunyip State Park.
If you’ve ever wondered how you would look in a pair of yellows, send CFA a message, or visit the link below and nominate Bunyip Fire Brigade. https://cfa.vic.gov.au/volunteer
