Volunteer snapshot: Kent

Published on 18 May 2022

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To mark National Volunteer Week (May 16 to May 22), we caught up with some Northern Tasmanian volunteers to find out what drives them.

If you'd like to find out more about volunteering opportunities in your local area, visit the Volunteering Tasmania website at volunteeringtas.org.au or the Volunteering Australia website at www.volunteeringaustralia.org

Meet Kent, a volunteer with the Karoola Fire Brigade, who generously made some time to answer our questions about his experiences as a volunteer...

 

What does your role involve?  

As volunteers, our primary role is firefighting. During summer it’s usually bush fires and escaped burns, and during winter it’s more likely to be house fires due to problems with heaters and open fires. We also respond to motor vehicle accidents.     

How did you get into volunteering? 

I live in the local area and my next-door neighbour was a volunteer. He invited me along to a session and I met the most interesting, eclectic group of people. I found them a really easy group of people to get to know, and everyone was there for the same reason. To help each other and our community. It's a wonderful experience to be part of something like that.     

What do you get out of it?

You get a strong sense of community.  In Karoola we have 2 main ways to meet people – the Pony Club or the Fire Brigade. Once you’ve met the people in your area, you develop a sense of responsibility to look after your patch and to look after your community.  So we all help each other. By volunteering for Tasmania Fire Service I have met other like-minded people who care about their community and the people in it.   

What’s a typical day look like when you’re volunteering? 

A typical day is going about your normal day until you get paged or called to a job. Then we respond to the incident and follow our training. We are very well trained as we do regular training once a fortnight for around 2 hours. Tasmania Fire Service are very committed to the training, gear and equipment they provide volunteers. It means that volunteers become highly skilled and there is always a focus on us maintaining our own personal safety first. There is also an amazing array of skillsets you can pick up – first aid, truck driving, workplace health and safety, using pumps and radio communication skills. Volunteers can also help with other vital areas like brigade administration, community engagement, and providing other support during major emergencies.   

Tell us more about the organisation you volunteer with? 

Volunteer fire brigades are important in protecting our communities. The Karoola Fire Brigade area stretches from the top of Finger Post Hill, to the Glen Road and Piper’s River Road and not quite to Dilston and Lilydale. Our area has around 700 people living in the catchment. Karoola fire station is just past the Launceston Kart Club, on Piper’s River Road. 

What’s one life lesson you’ve learned from volunteering? 

It’s very much like the giving and receiving of presents. You often get a bigger sense of satisfaction from giving than receiving. By being involved I get much more out of my volunteering than I put into it. It’s well worthwhile for your own internal wellbeing to be part of something like this. It's also a great way to expand your social connection in a rural community which can provide all sorts of other benefits.   

What would you say to people who are thinking of volunteering? 

Karoola Fire Brigade is keen to hear from new volunteers. It’s a great way to grow skills and experience. Within a very short period of time you will become a valuable asset to us. In fact, many of the brigades lose volunteers to full-time work because employers know they are reliable, capable and focused on safety. While volunteers who can respond after work hours are always welcome, we are particularly keen to hear from men and women who are available during the day. Maybe you’re a farmer, you work from home, or you’re retired – you would be like gold for our brigade!  Call us to get involved.