Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority
Charmaine Soulsby with her father and grandfather
Many members of the community have recently joined a CFA brigade. Here are three of their stories.
CHARMAINE JOINS THE FAMILY TRADITION
Charmaine Soulsby (pictured above) recently qualified as a firefighter with Rheola Fire Brigade, and for the first time in the brigade’s history three generations are able to respond to callouts together.
Seventeen-year-old Charmaine has been heavily involved with the brigade’s Juniors program since she was 13 and has enjoyed growing up around the fire station with her father Tony and grandfather Lindsay (pictured above).
“I had always watched my family out there and I always wanted to get on the back of a fire truck. When I started Juniors I really enjoyed it and thought it would be fun to go and fight the fires and help save people,” Charmaine said.
“It’s nice to have my dad and grandfather there so they can help build my confidence because I haven’t been to many fires yet – just one small one which was a good one to start with.”
Finishing her General Firefighter course in September 2025 was a highlight for Charmaine.
“I finished the physical component back in May with three other girls. One of them was my friend Rebecca who was also in Juniors with me. She’s from the next town over. It was nice to do it together” Charmaine said.
“The online modules took me a bit of time to complete as I juggled Year 11, but I really enjoyed them.”
Charmaine completed her physical component at Inglewood Fire Station in May across two consecutive Sundays.
“We were given our fire gear, and during the first day we went through some of the theory such as map reading, and how to use the radio and what to say,” Charmaine said.
“Then in the second week we did a couple of mock scenarios where we got to run through different callouts in our fire gear and put the theory into practice.”
Having grown up through the Juniors program, Charmaine still attends some of their monthly meetings to lend a hand.
“When I was in Juniors, we got to learn how to use the hoses and branches and about all the different types of fires we could fight,” Charmaine said.
“The activities involved simple skills that don’t seem like much, but they really do add up.”
Charmaine continues to encourage her friends to join the brigade too, especially those in her cricket team, and she’s looking forward to her brother moving up to seniors in a couple of years.
KELLY TRUSTS IN HER TRAINING
Kelly Timms is one of six new recruits at Molesworth Fire Brigade. She has already put her training to use, jumping on trucks to help with the January 2026 fires just a couple of months after she finished her training.
Kelly said it was a whirlwind to finish the training and be thrust into one of the most challenging fire seasons in the state’s recent history.
“My partner has been involved with the brigade for more than 30 years and I always thought I didn’t have the time. But I wanted to do more for the community so I decided CFA was a way I could do that while also doing something with my partner,” Kelly said.
Kelly said her confidence grew ten-fold after training and she was able to use that to protect her own property.
“I was really nervous because I hadn’t even been to a
little grass fire down the road, but our trainers John Morris and Shannon Roach had always said to me ‘trust in your training’,” Kelly said.
“But it was because of that training that my partner and I were not only able to save our home and our business but also help other people in the community.”
Kelly said she was also able to refine her skills in the weeks after the fire.
“There was a lot of mopping up to do so I spent so much time on the truck – I really knew it inside out,” Kelly said.
“All those hours on the truck cemented my knowledge and will help even when I attend a small grass fire. It was such valuable experience.”
Kelly also said there really was a role for everyone in the brigade beyond firefighting.
“There are so many things you can do that don’t involve fighting the fire – brigades always need help sweeping the floors or washing the trucks.
“You’re a volunteer so you can work it around your life. The more people there are in a brigade, the more the workload can be shared and the more flexible it can be.”
JANUARY FIRES SPUR ROB INTO ACTION
This year was Rob Murphy’s first year being affected by bushfires, with his farm in Gellibrand in south-west Victoria impacted during the January fires.
Following his bushfire plan, he made the decision to evacuate. Rob and his daughter Veronica were quick to jump into action to help the community, and now together they would like to do more, putting their hand up to join their local fire brigade.
“During the fires, I spent my time at the Gellibrand Hotel with Veronica, helping the publican to share information with the community,” Rob said.
“I acted as a bit of a community liaison when the locals came in and they just needed a friendly ear to talk to or when they wanted to know the best place to find more information to help them make a decision.”
Living deep in the Great Otway National Park, Rob is keen to understand how fire behaviour works and how he should be preparing his property more.
“It’s a bit of a dad and daughter thing, and we said we’d join CFA so we were able to learn a bit more together,” Rob said.
“It’s going to be a really great opportunity for Veronica.
and me to learn about this environment we’re living in and how mother nature flexes her muscles; how we adapt our behaviours and learn what we need to do to be safe.”
Rob has kick-started the process to becoming a volunteer, and is currently getting all the paperwork signed, sealed and delivered before he dives into his training.
“I’d love to be ready to go by spring so I can be there to support the community in the lead-up to the season,” Rob said.
“Everyone is starting to prepare their properties for the next fire season and I’m really keen to be involved in that.
“For me it’s a journey of learning. It will be invaluable, both through the training and when I’m able to apply it.”
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