Staff in Focus: Bernie embraces the joys and benefits of emergency work

When Finley firefighter Bernie Thomson sees relief on faces during an emergency he is attending with the local brigade, it gives him great satisfaction.

He takes pride in helping people, and appreciates the role of his fire brigade and their impact on those who “know we are here to help” when they arrive at an emergency scene.

Bernie also appreciates the skills he has learned as a firefighter, the camaraderie he gets in the role and the training he receives to understand the true impact of disaster situations.

Bernie is a member of Finley Fire & Rescue NSW, and as well as the numerous personal benefits he gets from this role, is also extremely grateful to his employer, Murray Irrigation (MIL), who helps make it possible.

As an On-call Firefighter he needs this support to be able to ‘down tools’ to attend a local emergency, or to seek leave for a situation where help is required over an extended period.

Bernie, who works as a Water Scheduler for MIL, has been effectively combining his career and firefighting duties for more than 20 years.

“I started at MIL 30 years ago in maintenance and then became a channel attendant, where I gained most of my experience with irrigation water and our customers," Bernie said.

"I now work with about 2,500 MIL and external customers, helping them manage their water accounts and the delivery of irrigation water to our farms.”

In 2002 Bernie heard the local fire brigade was looking for new members, and attended a barbecue it was hosting to learn more about what was involved. 

“Twenty-two years later I’m still learning and enjoying myself, while also helping others,” he said.

On-call Firefighters provide a high standard of response to fires and a variety of other emergency incidents in their local community.

They use specialised vehicles and equipment to prevent and reduce the risk of fire and potential loss of life and property, and work closely with the community to increase fire safety awareness and promote fire prevention.

They also undertake all manner of rescues, deal with hazardous material incidents and help other agencies with emergency medical response and severe weather-related events.

On-call Firefighters are not rostered on duty, but declare their availability a week in advance, which enables them to maintain their employment and advise the station when they are available to respond. When an incident occurs, they are notified by a pager and then a mobile phone call.  

This, of course, needs a high level of support from their employer, and it is something Bernie receives from MIL. 

"MIL understands the importance of having emergency services within our surrounding communities to help save properties and lives at crucial times,” Bernie says.

“With this understanding, I am in a position where I can attend incidents in town when there is minimal disruption at work.

"If I am called out of town to an incident that could cover a few days, MIL has an emergency service arrangement in place, so I can apply to have a nominated time off work to attend.”

Bernie also appreciates the fact there is broader benefit to being an On-call Firefighter, over and above the gratitude he receives from those he assists.

“I enjoy meeting and working with different people from other brigades and emergency service groups, attending taskforces to gain a true understanding of the impact a disaster causes, as well as being able to use the skills I have been taught," he said.

“From a personal perspective, it also provides the opportunity to gain new experiences outside the normal day to day life.