Echuca Fire Brigade is returning to compete in the upcoming CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships in March.
Photo by
Ryan Bellingham
The CFA/VFBV State Firefigher Championships are returning to Mooroopna this March.
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Echuca Fire Brigade has sides in both the urban junior and senior events, which will be held on separate weekends of the championships.
Lieutenant and coach Jordan Simpson said this year’s junior squad had 18 members, the most ever, and was in fine form about a month out from the event.
Mr Simpson said getting young people involved in competing was a great way to introduce them to the CFA and could act as a pipeline to becoming a member.
“I started when I was a junior and did the championship side of things, and once you turn 16, you can go off, do a course and get in a truck,” he said.
“It’s probably, I would say, the best recruiting tool the CFA has got.”
Competitors in the junior events are aged from 11 to 17, and the brigade has enough juniors to form two championship teams.
Both junior and senior sides have been training twice a week at Victoria Park, practising a mix of wet and dry events.
The junior squad practises a drill at Victoria Park.
Photo by
Ryan Bellingham
The senior side has 14 competitors this year, which Mr Simpson said was almost triple the number of people since he began competing as a junior.
Mr Simpson said the team had done its best to rebuild since the January death of Nathan Taylor, who was a runner and key member of the senior side.
“Everyone knew Nathan — he was the fun to our team. He always knew how to make everyone laugh,” he said.
The state championships involve a mix of wet and dry events, which also train practical firefighting skills.
Photo by
Ryan Bellingham
“We’ve rebuilt the best we could. We sort of said ‘right, we’re not in a position this year to win anything, so let’s just have some fun, learn a lot’.
“After Nath passing, I think it’s more about us sticking together as a family.”
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said the championships had been an integral part of the service since they began in 1874.
“The championships are one of the most exciting events on the CFA calendar and a great opportunity for our members to engage in friendly competition,” he said.
“It’s also a great way for the community to see what we do and hopefully we can inspire them to join their local brigades.”
The championships are held over two weekends at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve, March 22 and 23 and March 29 and 30.
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