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ADDITIONAL READING
join, easy to contribute, and worthwhile to stay. Doing things the right way protects people, land and the rural way of life. We are strongest when our local efforts con- nect into a coherent, shared overarching system. Looking ahead, the same skills and approaches will help us meet the next set of challenges. Bushfire risk will never be zero, but together we can manage it better year on year. Climate variability will test har- vest windows, stock movements, and local water sec- urity. Farms will continue to adapt to tighter margins and changing markets. People will move in and out of towns and districts. Strong brigades give communities a stable base in the middle of that change. Practical training builds judgment. Common language on the radio reduces mistakes. Local maps and shared data turn informa- tion into action. Technology, used well, helps busy people make faster and safer decisions. Without change, we will continue to see a gradual decline in volunteering in rural communities. Mod- ern pressures are squeezing the time and energy people can give, even as local need grows. In a time of changing climatic conditions, that decline will place rural communities at greater risk. So, we must act now. The work is clear. Keep volunteering flexible. Make training practical and recognised. Use technology to serve people and place. Welcome women and young members into every role and every level of leadership. Strengthen the ties between brigades and farms so that the skills we learn pay back on the farm. Govern- ment investment matters, but community reach is what turns plans into outcomes. Rural communities with strong volunteering and strong brigades are what is needed to protect us in an uncertain future. If we build on our strengths and keep improving the way we work, we will be ready for the seasons ahead. Strong brigades make strong farms. Neighbours helping neighbours will keep our com- munities safe, now and into the future.
skills of a good firefighter are the same skills that make farms safer. Reading country, wind, and weather. Run- ning a safe briefing and sticking to a checklist. Setting up pumps and maintaining equipment. Managing water, tracks, and turnarounds for heavy plant machinery. Using maps and radios with discipline. Managing safety and fatigue over long days. Planning burns and protecting assets. These habits reduce risk on the fireground and on the farm. Women and young members are central to the future of volunteerism. The work is broad and we will need all available hands in regional and rural communities to meet future demands. We need more women leading crews and leading brigades. We need young people join- ing at a faster rate, flying drones, running intelligence, managing communications, and learning frontline leadership, fire prevention, and incident management. That means active mentorship, clear pathways to leader- ship and a culture that is always safe and respectful. When people feel seen and supported, they stay. Technology will increasingly be an enabler, but never the hero. The best tools are the ones people actually use. From satellites and weather sensors to simple alerting apps and modern fleet, the right tools help local brigades reach and extinguish fast-mov- ing fires. The future is proactive and intelligence-led, where technology amplifies judgement and local ex- perience. Simple alerts for wind change, lightning and local warnings. Drones that can quickly help check trails, breaks and fire spread in minutes. Shared infor- mation that works across agencies and borders. None of this replaces local knowledge. It amplifies it. Matching capability and equipment to local risk mat- ters. A high grassland risk district needs different tools to forested areas. Some places need more slip-on or light firefighting units and quick response. Others need bulk water and heavy plant support. When landholders and brigades plan together, the right people can act quickly and safely when it matters. Good risk intelligence, shared between brigades and local landholders, helps us make those calls and keeps communities safe. Culture is the anchor. Respect, safety, and inclusion are not slogans. They show up in everyday behaviour and how we volunteer together. We listen. We train well. We debrief honestly. We thank people for their time. We make everyone feel part of the team. We make it easy to
Trent Curtin is Commissioner of NSW Rural Fire Service
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