The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) group captain for the Northern Tablelands area has been unofficially fighting fires since he was just a country lad aged 12. 

Back then, he lived in Elsmore where his dad began a three-generation tradition of volunteer fire fighters.   

Today the 48-year-old Gum Flat business owner is joined in the RFS by his wife Jo, his eldest son Alex who works on one of the trucks and his youngest son Jarrod who at 13 is a district member of the cadets’ unit. 

The work is unpaid but Ray does the job for other reasons.  

“I’d like someone to help my family if they were in an accident or if our house was burning,” he explains adding that the job is “not just putting the wet stuff on the red stuff”. 

While Ray is qualified as a fire fighter, rescue worker, fire investigator and trainer, NSW RFS volunteers are also involved in communications, catering, aviation and other roles. 

“Not everyone wants to jump on a big red truck,” he said. 

Ray is also aware that dealing with traumatic events can take its toll: “We’re always vigilant that the work can be distressing [so] we have a critical incident support service to assist.” 

Despite the challenges, Ray said the work offers a great sense of “camarade”:  “[It’s] working with like-minded people and learning new life skills in the different roles we can do.

Ray is one of three group captains serving the NSW RFS Northern Tablelands team. The district stretches from Twin Rivers in the north, to Gilgai in the south, then west to Delungra and east to Elsmore. But the crews can be called on to travel further when needed. 

“We can always use more recruits,” he said noting that unlike people working for the NSW Fire and Rescue Service, RFS volunteers don’t all have to live near a fire station. Instead those living at a distance are called out for back-up on long shifts. A reasonable level of fitness is needed for those wanting to volunteer as firies, who could find themselves working on 12 hour shifts, but other roles are not so physically demanding. 

Anyone interested in joining the local RFS can call 6721 0446 for more information or drop by the Inverell RFS station on Rifle Range Road during training sessions on Tuesdays from 3.30pm and on the third Sunday of the month from 2pm.