Recruit Firefighter

Chicago Fire and Backdraft made firefighting look like running into the flames every shift. The reality is closer to a 25-year-old probationary firefighter at the back of the pumper on a Saturday afternoon responding to a kitchen smoke alarm that turned out to be burnt toast. The recruit firefighter course at Fire and Rescue NSW runs 13 weeks at the Emergency Services Academy in Orchard Hills in Western Sydney. Recruits are paid from day one. The course covers safety, breathing apparatus, structural firefighting, hazardous materials, vehicle rescue, medical response and operational driving. After graduation, the recruit is posted to a fire station on a four-platoon roster. The day starts with a check of the pumper, breathing apparatus sets, hoses and equipment.