New recruit joins Gunnedah Fire and Rescue

Gunnedah local Zoe Fleming is putting her skills to the test after joining the ranks of Gunnedah Fire and Rescue as a new recruit.

Born and bred in Gunnedah, Zoe has recently joined the 314 crew, bringing a strong desire to give back to the community and make a difference.

A qualified carpenter, Zoe currently works as a general assistant at Gunnedah South Public School, where her duties include mowing lawns and carrying out maintenance.

She said a combination of family encouragement and a desire to challenge herself prompted her to apply to become a firefighter.

“I wanted to be able to give back to the community and make a difference and a bit of encouragement from family to apply,” she said.

“I love to challenge myself and being outdoors so thought firefighting would be a perfect opportunity to do both those things.”

Since joining the team, Zoe said she had been made to feel at home by her fellow firefighters.

“Everyone has been really wonderful,” Zoe said.

“It’s like one big family, everyone has been so helpful with training and getting me sorted, there’s a lot that goes into being a firefighter; it’s not just fighting fires.”

Zoe said she had also enjoyed the training involved in becoming a firefighter, which has given her an insight into the skills and preparation required for the role.

She has already attended some local call-outs, although thankfully none have involved particularly complex or serious incidents so far.

Fire and Rescue NSW says firefighting is a varied, challenging and rewarding career, with crews often required to operate in confronting and stressful situations, particularly when people are injured or facing the threat of injury or loss of life.

Its firefighters come from all walks of life and form an intelligent, highly skilled, ethical and professional team prepared to respond to a wide range of emergencies.

Beyond emergency response, firefighters also play an important role in community safety, education and prevention, with the service committed to helping “anyone, anywhere, anytime”.

Zoe is now encouraging other community members who have the ability and interest to get involved with local emergency services to consider taking the next step.