For those who know him, becoming an RFS Mitigation Crew member is the perfect fit for Eungai Rail's Doug Lindsay.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Not only does his upbringing on the family farm at Bonville mean he is totally comfortable clearing and cleaning bush clogged with weeds and vines, as well as handling chainsaws and other machinery, he is also quite simply, a really handy guy ... or as his partner Mary Hicks says, "I call him 'MacGyver', he can fix anything".
Doug is one of four local RFS volunteers who have qualified for full-time jobs with the RFS State Mitigation Unit in a team that will be based in Macksville. The other successful applicants are from Hat Had, Gladstone, and Urunga Brigades.
RFS manager of Community Risk, Andrew Little, who is responsible for crews in the northern area, said the jobs are the result of the NSW Government funding 100 new positions.
"My crew numbers have increased from 16 to 42 with five new locations," Mr Little said.
"I certainly welcome this ... it's a positive move and will really help people minimise their risk in case of bushfire."
He said crews would be carrying out a whole range of work, including preparing control lines for hazard reduction burns, using heavy machinery to clear asset protection zones, setting up base camps for remote fire fighting and helping refill and refuel large air tankers.
They are also available to assist the elderly and the disabled, checking smoke alarms, cleaning gutters and other such jobs.
It's heavy, hot, tiring work and physical fitness is a must ... which is why Doug did some training in the lead up to his interview.
"As well as the online questions we had to do kinetic tests like stepping up and down the ladder onto the truck multiple times, dragging 65kg hoses around an obstacle course, hitting a tyre with a sledge hammer 60 times in 120 seconds and carrying a full jerry can of fuel," Doug said.
"The final one was the 'pack test', where we had to wear a vest loaded with 20.4kg of lead and then walk briskly 4.83km in 45 minutes- when you pass that one, you know you are in!"
Doug says he is really excited, as he has been looking for a full-time job ... not that he has been without work: he is also a highly skilled violinist with a number of students, a sailing instructor and has a small business pressure cleaning and mowing around the area.
"As a kid I was thrown on the piano at six but was not at all keen ... I was drawn to the violin, I was always listening to violin concertos."
He later studied at the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music, and is currently the musical director of the Macleay Music Ensemble. Of late he has taken up the tuba and is playing with the Nambucca District Band.
"I've got the biggest B-flat contrabass," he laughs.
Doug has resigned from violin teaching and is juggling his commitments to start his new job on September 28.