KARUAH Rural Fire Brigade are recruiting volunteers in the area.

After opening a $1.1 million fire station in late 2020, the NSW Rural Fire Service are looking for people to assist in the Karuah and Swan Bay community.

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Secretary of the Karuah Rural Fire Brigade, Jenny Semple spoke to News Of The Area about the reasons volunteers get involved.

“People volunteer for all sorts of reasons: to help protect the community and gain a sense of self-worth, to meet like-minded people and make friends or to gain training or learn new skills,” Ms Semple said.

The Karuah Rural Fire Brigade also assists in a number of community events including the Karuah Oyster Festival, Anzac Day events and services, Boot Sales, Get Ready Weekends, school education and New Year’s Eve safety.

The brigade attends a multitude of different calls from grass and bushfires to flood and storm damage and accidents, providing a number of opportunities for locals to get involved.

“We have a lovely new station which we haven’t as yet been able to show the community due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“We look forward to this changing in the near future so we can get back to normal, but in the meantime we would love some new members to be trained before this fire season,” Ms Semple said.

At the current moment the Brigade are performing a burn off for private landowners, a water blast on the Karuah Bridge to assist the painting of a new mural as well as a number of large burns to be completed soon.

The NSW RFS work side-by-side with other volunteers and the wider community in fire prevention and awareness with all members providing fire and emergency service to approximately 95% of NSW.

The NSW volunteers are the largest volunteer fire service in the entire world.

If any members of the community aged eighteen and older are interested in joining or would like to learn more, contact the Karuah RFS at karuah@lowerhunterrfs.com.au.

By Tara CAMPBELL