FOREST Fire Management is looking for people who are keen to work outdoors, learn new skills, and help protect the community and the environment.
Applications are now open for project firefighter roles at nine locations in Melbourne’s north, east and the Mornington Peninsula, including Rosebud, Knoxfield, Olinda, Greenvale, and Powelltown.
“These fixed-term positions are a fantastic opportunity for people from all walks of life, who are physically fit, to get out in the bush, protect our region from bushfires and help manage public land,” Forest Fire Management’s deputy chief fire officer Tamara Beckett said.
New recruits would be involved in conducting planned burns, looking after recreation areas, pest and weed control, maintaining access to fire trails and roads, and supporting other emergency work to help protect the community and environment.
“They can also be called on to support other emergencies like last year’s Victorian floods. Many of the forest firefighters deployed to the current Canadian bushfires started their careers as project firefighters,” Beckett said.
Seasonal project firefighters are recruited each year, with their roles including general firefighters, fire support officers and rappel crew firefighters.
They are employed full-time from October until April. There are also positions designated for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.
Beckett said ideal candidates would be fit and healthy and hold a current manual driver’s licence.
“Successful recruits will be fully trained and get the opportunity to work with experienced staff from a range of fire management agencies across the state,” she said.
“These are very rewarding roles, where no two days are ever the same.”
Applications close on 30 July. Details: jobs.careers.vic.gov.au/pff or call 136 186.
First published in the Mornington News – 11th July 2023
