BY ISABEL EVERETT
The Hunter will welcome 23 new firefighters to the region after they graduated on Friday from the Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Emergency Services Academy.
Some of the states 264 new firefighters include a former professional rally car co-driver, a martial arts instructor, a former dairy farm manager, youth worker and a number of teachers.
Those who graduated as permanent firefighters include;
- Kane Jennings - Cessnock
- Ashley Gordon - Rutherford
Those who graduated as on-call (Retained) firefighters include;
- Jessica Edwards - Aberdeen
- Simon Geerin - Aberdeen
- Ben Orlowsky - Aberdeen
- Riley Graves - Abermain
- John Cullen - Branxton
- Adrian Robinson - Branxton
- Jereme Worth - Kurri Kurri
- Ryan Turton - Maitland Retained
- Isabella Circosta - Merriwa
- Sam Tinsey - Minmi
- Christopher Burke - Morpeth
- Megan Mcloughlin - Murrurundi
- Nathan Holz - Rutherford Retained
- Alister Truett - Salamander Bay Retained
- Beau Merrick - Singleton
- John Robb - Singleton
- Lewis Weber - Singleton
- Kristen Frize - Stockton
- Noah Hailstone - Stockton
- Travis Redding - Stockton
- Bradley Bauerhuit - Tarro
FRNSW Commissioner Paul Baxter congratulated the new recruits at today’s ceremony.
“Becoming a firefighter is no easy feat. We attract 6-8,000 applications each year, yet of these thousands, only an elite few are chosen,” he said.
“It is also pleasing to see that many graduates are joining family members already in service, with some being second generation firefighters.
Commissioner Baxter said the graduates have trained with passion and dedication to become part of the FRNSW family.
“These recruits have shown they have the diverse skills, capabilities and talents required to undertake the varied work that our firefighters do – from educating the community about fire safety and providing emergency medical care to responding to fires, natural disasters and hazmat incidents,” he said.
“They’ve been trained to be prepared for anything and I know they will uphold the high standards of integrity, courage and professionalism expected of a FRNSW firefighter.”
Image: NSW Government
