Will Frederick and Aurelia Parsley at the Wentworth Falls Station. (Photo: Quintin Handley)
Story by Quintin Handley
Aurelia and Will, two inspiring local teenagers, are making a difference in their community by volunteering with the Wentworth Falls Rural Fire Brigade. Learn more about their motivations and how you can get involved.
Key Points:
- The number of young people in the RFS is steadily growing over time, according to members themselves.
- The next generation of up and coming rural firefighters in Wentworth Falls are encouraging others to sign up to their local brigades.
Aurelia Parsley and Will Frederick are two otherwise regular local teenagers in their final year of High School, the kind you might grumble at for being loud on public transport. Aurelia hopes to study Agricultural Sciences at university, and volunteers at Taronga Zoo during the school holidays, and Will Frederick plans to join the army after school. But by night, on the weekends, and during their summer holidays, they are training to stand between your homes, lives, and property, and the devastation of bushfires.
The pair are just two of the many local volunteers in the Wentworth Falls Rural Fire Service Brigade.
Fire is not the only experience in the RFS however, and as Aurelia pointed out, it’s a close knit community of friends: “Sometimes it’s like a second family to me.” She stresses that though there is some danger, there is also excitement, opportunities for personal growth, and the fulfilling knowledge that you are doing something for the sake of your community that is both vital and difficult, and possibly even directly saving the lives and livelihoods of fellow locals.
“I one hundred per cent absolutely recommend it to anyone with an interest in helping others,” says Aurelia of joining the RFS, adding that they are ready to take more people on, and that the RFS as a whole has been experiencing a large influx of young volunteers in recent years. Anyone older than 16 is free to join up and, with parental permission, get out fighting fires once their basic training has been completed. Those older than twelve can serve in auxiliary roles away from danger.
Will Frederick said he found the RFS to be very welcoming and friendly, and that it was “definitely a good eye opener for those interested in jobs serving the community.”
Will Frederick working on one of the fire trucks kept at the Wentworth Falls Brigade. (Photo: Tim Parsley)
Aurelia officially joined up in 2018 at the age of 12, but told us that she had already been heavily involved in the community through her father Tim Parsley, who is captain of the brigade. “Growing up it was always a thing I was surrounded by. My parents were the inspiration really,” she said of her motivation to join. She explained that the process for joining is very simple, and that an online form followed by an in-person interview forms the bulk of the process.
Will said he joined “to help my community. Living in a bushfire-prone area, that gave me the urge to join, especially after the 2019/20 bushfire season.” The process started early this year after he participated in work experience for the Katoomba Fire Control Centre, where he was encouraged to volunteer for the RFS by the employees.
Left: Aurelia suiting up in RFS operational gear. Right: Aurelia Parsley and another RFS member during vehicle fire-fighting training. (Photo: Tim Parsley)
Aurelia gave us a description of the first fire she ever fought in the RFS at the age of 17: “My first fire was way down Westbourne Avenue in Wentworth Falls. It was my first time going to a fire in a truck and it was lights and sirens all the way there, really cool. The fire had started up a hill and was creeping down into a valley, so we were just chasing this fire with our hoses. It was a hard day, but a really fun one for a first time. Before you’re 16 it’s hard, wanting to go out and not being able to, but that day was great.”
Of the work in the RFS both said they found it adaptable and fun. “Training is pretty flexible, usually once a week. You’re always accommodated,” said Will. The time it takes to complete basic training and being able to get out and actually fight fires depends on the dates at which the course exams are held and the amount of time you are willing to spend each week to get towards that goal, but Aurelia estimated that on average it would usually take no longer than six months.
During that time the volunteer can assist in maintenance and auxiliary roles such as clearing fire trails in preparation for hazard reduction burning. As for responding to fires after basic training is complete, Aurelia said that “generally call-out is only if you’re already at the station, for routine fires we’re usually called when it’s near lookouts, deep in the bush, etc.”
There are 22 brigades throughout the Mountains which young prospective volunteers may consider joining, so there is sure to be one near you. Interested persons may apply through the RFS website, or by contacting the brigade they wish to join directly. Links are provided at the end of this article.
Statewide the RFS has more than 70,000 volunteers, which makes it larger than the entirety of the ADF. Though the role carries a deal of responsibility, as Aurelia said it takes “some courage – and a lot of resilience,” the brigade is a warm and welcoming community eager to teach those with the will to learn and the heart to serve.
Aurelia Parsley using the fire hose during an operation. (Photo: Tim Parsley)
Take Action:
- Join up! All brigades are constantly looking for new members. The details of all 22 brigades in the Blue Mountains can be found here
- If you don’t wish to join up or can’t join, but still want to support those protecting you and your family from bushfires, secure donations can be made to the RFS online here
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This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
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