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Geraldton brigades appeal for new volunteers

Headshot of Liam Beatty
Liam BeattyGeraldton Guardian
Cape Burney volunteer bushfire brigade captain Rob Roffey.
Camera IconCape Burney volunteer bushfire brigade captain Rob Roffey. Credit: The Geraldton Guardian, Geoff Vivian The Geraldton Guardian

Bushfire brigades across Greater Geraldton have appealed for some fresh faces to join their ranks after a busy few weeks fighting fires across the State.

Cape Burney Bushfire Brigade Captain Rob Roffey said after the spate of fires around Geraldton lately, volunteers had been starting to fatigue. “We’re only a small brigade but we’ve definitely had to pull our weight recently,” he said.

“Firefighting volunteers are essential around here, and some fresh faces at the brigade would be more than welcome.”

Mr Roffey said all 10 of the brigades in the Greater Geraldton region hoped the high-profile nature of the recent fires across Geraldton and WA would encourage new members to sign up.

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“It’s a fun and rewarding way to give back to the community,” he said.

“But it’s also a great way to meet new friends and learn new skills.”

City of Greater Geraldton emergency services co-ordinator Murray Smith said volunteer bush fire fighters were a vital resource in efforts to prevent tragedy around the region.

“There’s only 20 career firefighters in Geraldton and about 300 volunteers to back them up,” he said.

“So that really shows how essential the brigades are.

“We could always do with more hands ready to help out.”

Teams from Geraldton had been participating in recent firefighting efforts against the infernos in Lancelin, Leeman and Red Gully, which Mr Smith said was a useful learning opportunity. “Closer to home the fire in Wonthella really showed how well our agencies here work together,” he said.

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