Want to become a firefighter? Here’s how!

National Manager of Fire and Rescue with Corporate Protection Australia Fire and Rescue (CPAFR), Kevin Waterman, addresses an issue raised all the time by current and prospective staff.

The number one question I get asked at CPAFR is how to become an Emergency Services Officer (ESO) or Fire Fighter. There are many pathways an individual can take, you can move from a regular fire brigade, come from the military, or just have a strong interest and complete an emergency services officer course.

The easiest way for someone who is new to industry is to talk to a registered training organisation, such as Corporate Protection’s RTO named Baseline Training. An RTO with knowledge of the industry can provide all the units you need in one program to qualify you and assist you in getting into a role.

Corporate Protection Fire and Rescue has four main roles for people looking to get into the industry.

These are Emergency Services Officer, Security Emergency Response Officer, Fire Crew (for gas-based sites) and Shutdown Emergency Response Officer.

We can look at some generalised qualification and unit recommendations that would allow you to work on most projects within Queensland and most other states in Australia.

For mining sites, these are the generally accepted minimum qualifications required for a position:

• Certificate III in Emergency Response and Rescue
• RIIERR201E – Conduct Fire Team Operations
• PUAFIR207 – Operate Breathing Apparatus Open Circuit
• PUASAR024 – Road Crash Rescue
• PUASAR025 –Confined Space Rescue
• PUASAR032– Vertical Rope Rescue
• PUAFIR324 – Render Hazardous Materials Incidents Safe
• HLTAID014 – Provide Advanced First Aid
• HLTAID015 – Provide Advanced Resuscitation and Oxygen Therapy
• UETTDRRF06B – Perform Rescue from a Live LV Panel
• Standard 11 Generic Safety Induction
• HLTPAT005 – Collect Specimens for Drugs of Abuse Testing
• Medium Rigid Manual Drivers Licence

Depending on the site, a team leader at a mining site may also require a G189 (formerly S123):

• G1 – RIIRIS301E – Apply Risk Management Processes
• G8 – RIIWHS301E – Conduct Safety and Health Investigations
• G9 – RIICOM301E – Communicate Information

For positions on gas processing sites such as upstream in the Surat Basin (Chinchilla), these are the minimum qualifications for a position:

For firefighters and team leaders you would need the following:

• Certificate III – Public Safety (Fire Fighting and Emergency Operations)
• PUAFIR324 – Render Hazardous Materials Incidents Safe
• PUAFIR316 – Identify, Detect and Monitor Hazardous Materials at an Incident
• PUAFIR308 – Employ Personal Protection at a Hazardous Materials Incident
• PUASAR024 – Undertake Road Crash Rescue
• PUASAR025 – Undertake Confined Space Rescue
• PUASAR032 – Undertake Vertical Rescue
• PUAFIR309 – Operate Pumps
• HLTAID014 – Provide Advanced First Aid
• HLTAID015 – Advanced Resuscitation and Oxygen Therapy
• Medium Rigid Manual Drivers Licence

For team leaders at gas-based sites you would need to hold the firefighter position qualifications plus the following:

• Certificate IV in Public Safety (Firefighting Supervision)
• TAE40116 – Certificate IV in Training and Assessment

Other qualifications that are required on some sites (particularly in Western Australia) are:

• Certificate IV in Health Care
• Certificate II in Security Operations and Current Security Licence with (Monitoring & Unarmed)

Corporate Protection Australia Fire and Rescue are one of the leading providers of shutdown emergency response teams for power stations, construction sites and other industry’s conducting high risk maintenance, installation, or repair work.

The qualifications for some of these shutdowns may not require a full Certificate III in Emergency Response and Rescue. Qualifications vary depending on the site and the task but generally are:

• PUASAR025 – Undertake Confined Space Rescue
• PUASAR032 – Undertake Vertical Rescue
• HLTAID014 – Provide Advanced First Aid
• HLTAID015 – Advanced Resuscitation and Oxygen Therapy
• Manual Car Drivers Licence

For those coming from the regular fire service, auxiliary, retained, rural fire services or the military, it is important to note that your experience is greatly appreciated and will be warmly received by any employer. You will still need to work with an RTO such as Baseline to close out any skills gaps as compliance for our clients is extremely important, but these gaps should be much easier to fill.