Volunteer fire fighters in Denmark come together putting knowledge to test in training day

Hoses, fire extinguishers and water pumps were all put to good use last weekend when bush fire brigades from around Denmark came together for a volunteer training day.

More than 25 volunteers from Mt Lindesay, William Bay, East Denmark, Ocean Beach and Scotsdale/Mt Shadforth bush fire brigades gathered on a property in Hay last Sunday to practise their firefighting skills.

East Denmark BFB captain Will Miller organised the event.

“Nothing has really ran since 2019 due to COVID,” Mr Miller said.

He said brigades used to run training events independently of one another.

“Hopefully it’s not a one-off. We’ll make it part of a tradition, get the ball rolling and get a few other brigades on board,” he said.

Mr Miller said the volunteers put their knowledge to the test in a realistic simulation.

The “Hay-mazing Race” included driving and radio skills, hose and fire extinguisher drills, and finding locations using GPS references.

“Throughout the course of the drill we were all communicating via radio. It was a very realistic structure,” Mr Miller said.

“We tried to simulate driving off-road, using eggs to simulate precious cargo, as in our crew, and no brigades broke their eggs.”

Mr Miller said it was important for volunteers to keep up training.

“There is nothing more important,” he said.

“We had a quiet year with incidents so it’s really important while we don’t have that live fire training that we’re trying to simulate it best we can and mixing that theory and classroom training with the out-and-about and the drill scenarios.”

While East Denmark BFB is always on the lookout for more volunteers, Mr Miller said there had been an influx of new members.

“There’s been a regular amount rocking up to the weekly training which is really positive,” he said.

“The new members are getting a lot out of it, and it’s showing immensely.”