Members of District 17 Headquarters Brigade
Today, 1 October, is International Day of Older Persons when we celebrate the contributions made by older people and promote the need for inclusive and age-friendly societies.
Message from CFA Deputy Chief Officer Brett Boatman and CFA Board Member Beth Davidson OAM
People worldwide are living longer and the world’s population is ageing at a rapid rate.
Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world's population aged over 60 years will rise from 12 per cent to 22 per cent. The number of people aged 80 years or older is expected to triple between 2020 and 2050.
Supportive environments play a pivotal role to help older individuals maintain their activity levels and continue to make a valued contribution. This is certainly true in CFA brigades, where older members are very much valued.
Younger members in our brigades benefit from the knowledge and experience of our older members, who welcome the opportunity to be mentors.
Although they may no longer jump on a truck, many older volunteers across the state are actively involved in educating their communities about fire safety, and helping to recruit and train new members. By helping out with these tasks, they relieve the pressure on younger firefighters who can concentrate on turning out to incidents.
CFA has 20 headquarters (HQ) brigades, comprising mostly older members with significant experience and expertise. Many HQ brigade members were brigade management team members in other brigades when they were younger. They make use of their important knowledge by supporting brigades on the fireground. They may establish and manage staging areas, organise essential supplies and maintain equipment so they are ready to respond. Older members may also work in incident control centres. Pictured above are some of the District 17 HQ brigade members.
The latest HQ brigade to be formed supports the whole of South East Region and focuses solely on community engagement. This innovative approach means the team can coordinate community engagement across the region and deliver fire safety messages in areas where the local brigades need support.
And, of course, older members make a significant contribution to CFA and the community by using their experience and skills in leadership roles – incident control centre roles, group officer roles and even becoming CFA Board members.
Thank you to all of CFA’s older members who continue to support their brigades and help protect lives and property.
Read about the valuable contribution of two of our older members.
Today is also a day to think about the older people around you who may need assistance. Some people may be at higher risk from fire and need help to prepare their fire plans and to leave early when a fire threatens.
CFA has a free elearning module for people at higher risk, their carers, support workers and service providers. Called ‘Prevent, detect, escape – home fire safety for people at higher risk’, the online course gives vital information about how to reduce the chance of a fire starting, the importance of working smoke alarms, and making a fire plan tailored to your needs.
To find out more about International Day of Older Persons and how you can get involved, go to Members Online.
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