New Augusta Volunteer Fire and Rescue captain calls for new members with region battling fire season

The new captain of Augusta’s Volunteer Fire and Rescue brigade is urging residents to join the group as fires continue to ravage the South West. Bradley McDonald, just 25, became the brigade’s captain in December. He said his number one priority was to boost membership numbers. While the brigade has enough members to fill a truck, Mr McDonald says the more the merrier. “We need members and it is so hard to get new members in,” he said. “We want to stress it is for everyone — if you are fit and able to do it, absolutely come up and have a look at our training and join in, because we really do need members.” Mr McDonald has been a member of the brigade since he turned 18 and has moved through the ranks over the past seven years to become the new man in charge. “I was harassed by a couple of members who knew I was going to be in town for a while so I got into it,” he said. “I have got so much guidance from the other guys in the truck and there are so many members that have been here for a long time so there is always a helping hand. “It is just something that feels right to do, to go out and help people, I don’t believe I should be sitting around at home doing nothing. “I’d prefer to do something to please other people, and it is such a good bunch of guys … it is so easy here.” The Augusta brigade recently sent a light-tanker all the way to Carnarvon in the State’s mid-west to fight a blaze, as well as managing a number of situations closer to home. Mr McDonald said life as a captain had already been a balancing act, with a fire sparking in the region just a day after the truck had left to offer support up north. “It was a shame — one day we sent it off and then the next morning you wake up and there is a fire in your area,” he said. The brigade trains at 5.30pm on a Tuesday and wants prospective new members to come and visit a session.