FOLLOWING the severity of the bushfires in Collie and the South West last summer, Marty Jones knew he had to help.
He is now the newest member of the Collie Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service.
The 33 year old heard an advert on the radio calling for volunteers, which spurred him on to get involved.
“With all the fires we had last year, I knew I had to help and the ad reminded me to get involved,” he said.
“The ad said now was a good time to sign up, as you could get training before the busy summer season, so I did.
“A few mates are involved so I knew that at times they can be stretched pretty thin in peak fire times.”
Mr Jones lives with his partner and two children and works as an operator at the Collie Power Station.
The first step to becoming a volunteer was putting his name down and participating in the training days.
It then comes down to an internal vote by the leadership team as to whether a prospect is up to the task.
Mr Jones officially got the thumbs-up two weeks ago.
He said there had been no real surprises so far, but he was always ready for the unexpected.
“I used to be part of the Emergency Response Team at the powers station, so I had some idea of what to expect,” he said.
“I’ve still got a lot of training left to do, to get the basics right over the next few months, before being sent out on an emergency.”
Based on his experience so far, he highly recommends the job.
“We have a really great crew here, who are very professional and really supportive,” he said.
“It greats to be part of such a well-run organisation and to give back to the community.
“To anyone considering joining up, come along and give it a try.”
