NEW graduate firefighters from Scarborough and Joondanna achieved childhood dreams by commencing duty at fire stations last week.
Scarborough resident Kira Tremain (30) was posted to Fremantle Fire Station with Joondanna resident Samuel Southall (39) to Claremont Fire Station.
Twenty-four completed the 17-week course at the Fire and Emergency Services Academy where they developed their skills in firefighting, road crash rescue, hazardous materials and community safety.
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READ NOWMr Southall said he travelled around the world as a chef before completing the course.
“Every boy would have had dreams of driving a big red truck,” he said.
“I came from a cooking background so I did not really have any transferrable skills apart from cleaning so everything about the course was new to me.
“The trainers were awesome…it was a very intense 17 weeks but I am just ecstatic to get through it.”
Mr Southall said after he settled back in Perth, he met firefighters who inspired him to change his career path.
“Now the travelling is over I want to do something a bit more community-orientated and give back,” he said.
He said his first week was a “gentle introduction”.
“We have attended a few calls and most of them were false alarms which is kind of really nice so the pressure is off you,” he said.
“The blood pressure jumps and the heart starts pounding and thumping on your uniform, thinking that this time might be for real but it is just a false alarm.”
Ms Tremain said she had wanted to become a firefighter since she was 15.
“I was in the army for seven years before the program,” she said.
“I have always been interested in fire and emergency rescue.”
She said she eased through her first day at Fremantle.
Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Wayne Gregson said it required a lot of dedication and commitment to serve the community.
“To decide to become a fire fighter is an admirable choice, with fire fighters often confronted with high pressure situations, where they need to make split second decisions to protect life and property,” he said.