Kalgan Volunteer Bushfire Brigade’s Darryl Bradley on what drives him to volunteer on Thank You Fireys Day

The Kalgan Volunteer Bushfire Brigade isn’t stopping to celebrate Thank You Fireys day as it battles multiple bushfires burning in local areas including Ravensthorpe. Tuesday’s Thank You Fireys Day celebrates, honours and thanks courageous firefighters for their work around Australia. Firefighters make up 95 per cent of emergency services personnel in WA, with 26,000 doing the work in a volunteer capacity, creating a solid cornerstone of emergency response. Captain Darryl Bradley has volunteered for the Kalgan Volunteer Bushfire Brigade for the past 15 years, and does so to give back to the community. The most important show of appreciation, according to Mr Bradley, is the thank you they receive on the day of the emergency. “It’s incredibly moving that we get recognised on the day,” he said. “During incidents where we’ve come along and you can really see the relief on people’s faces when we arrive. “That’s really all the thanks I need.” It’s not only fires the brigade’s members tackle. They also help with flood responses, car crashes and other emergencies. “One the biggest things for me is also building community resilience and working with community groups to create resilience within the community for natural hazards and fires,” Mr Bradley said. The volunteer brigade is always looking to recruit those who are willing to jump in and have a go, to give back to the community and help those in need, not just on the front line, but also behind the scenes. Applications for firefighting volunteer opportunities can be found at dfes.wa.gov.au.