Fire Fighter School 82 graduates Matthew Rogers and Timothy Rayner.
Camera IconFire Fighter School 82 graduates Matthew Rogers and Timothy Rayner. Credit: Supplied/The Scene Team

WA’s fire brigades welcome latest cohort of DFES graduates

Lucy JarvisEastern Reporter

WA’S latest cohort of firefighter graduates includes a bush fire brigade volunteer, Scottish firefighter, farmer and mechanic.

The group of firefighters graduated on Friday after doing a 19-week course with the DFES Trainee Fire Fighting School.

They received training in key aspects of a firefighter’s role, including community safety, fire fighting skills, breathing apparatus, rescue, hazardous materials, driving and workplace communication skills.

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Timothy Rayner, of Mundaring, did farming before doing the course and will be posted to Malaga Fire and Rescue.

Darlington father-of-two Matthew Rogers will be posted to the Kiara station.

Mr Rogers was formerly a plant mechanic in the mining industry and lived and worked in the UK for four years as a field service technician for one of the world’s largest Caterpillar machinery dealerships.

Northern suburbs graduates include Cameron Power, Jeff Davidson and Kristofer Milne.

Joondalup graduates Cameron Power, Kristofer Milne and Jeff Davidson. DFES
Camera IconJoondalup graduates Cameron Power, Kristofer Milne and Jeff Davidson. DFES Credit: Supplied/The Scene Team

Mr Power is a former mechanical engineer specialising in structural design and a WA Council representative for the Australian Conservation Foundation.

He had been actively involved in the Singleton Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade for 16 years after starting as an underage cadet, and will be posted to the Joondalup station.

Mr Davidson will join the Vincent brigade, bringing 21 years’ experience as a career firefighter to the role.

The father-of-two has also worked as a sales representative in the building industry and in emergency management with Chevron.

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Camera IconImage Credit: Supplied/The Scene Team

Originally from Dundee in Scotland, Mr Milne was a firefighter for Scottish Fire and Rescue for 13 years and will also join the Joondalup station.

He and his wife Hazel migrated to Perth in July 2015 and are expecting their first child.

Prior to starting firefighter school, Mr Milne was a transit officer with the Public Transport Authority.

The City of Swan’s Nicholas Tilbury will be posted to the Welshpool station, bringing his four years’ experience with the Metropolitan Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service.

Welshpool recruit Nicholas Tilbury.
Camera IconWelshpool recruit Nicholas Tilbury. Credit: Supplied/The Scene Team

Mr Tilbury also spent a year with the East Swan Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade and worked in IT for several years before attending university.

Other graduates included Jonathan Bolton from the City of Belmont, who will be posted to Kensington, the Town of Mosman Park’s Mitchell Lake who is heading to Hope Valley station, Andrew Picker from the Town of Cottesloe who head to the Perth brigade.

Graduates from the City of Stirling include Adam Spencer, Cain Pennington, Ryan Taylor, Daniel Hanson and Candace Price, who will head to Belmont, Fremantle, Vincent and Perth stations.

Hansen won the John McMahon Dux Award for Excellence as the highest overall achiever in both theoretical and practical assessments during training.

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Camera IconImage Credit: Supplied/The Scene Team

Bradley Fraser and Rocco Vasile, both living in the City of Melville, will be posted to Success and Perth stations respectively.

Scott Taylor, of the City of Gosnells, joins Cannington station, David Anderson from the City of Mandurah joins Halls Head brigade, and Mathew Haydon from the City of Rockingham joins his local brigade.

Regional firefighters include Robert Bromfield, Evan Peirce, David Dow and Ryan McCulloch who all live in and will be posted to Kalgoorlie, while Daryl De Vos will be posted to his home town station in Geraldton.

According to DFES, on average more than 1000 people apply for the 24 places available – recruitment for the next course opens in January.