Former Olympic kayaker among new generation of Queensland firefighters

Two years after competing in the Rio Olympics, champion Queensland kayaker Alyssa Bull is powering ahead in her new role as a fully-fledged firefighter.

Alyssa – who placed eighth at Rio in 2016 in the K2 500m event – recently finished Dux of her course at the Queensland Combined Emergency Services Academy (QCESA).

The 22-year-old from the Gold Coast said becoming a firefighter fulfilled a lifelong dream.

“The recruit course had a great team environment - the group always pulled together and helped each other out,” she said.

“The instructors were knowledgeable and happy to help you out along the way.

“It’s pretty different going from training to on-shift, and I’m excited to be here and look forward to the years to come.”

Fire and Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford, who attended Alyssa’s graduation ceremony, said he was delighted to welcome her to the “new generation of firefighters”.

“Each recruit course can receive thousands of applications for only a handful of positions – and Alyssa certainly showcases the high standard of graduate required for the role,” Mr Crawford said.

“We want people who are dedicated to their local community and have a real drive.

“Alyssa encompasses these values and we are proud of her and all our recent graduates.

“Meeting graduates like Alyssa, I am confident Queensland is in good hands.”

Mr Crawford said the Palaszczuk Government was keen to attract more women to the state’s firefighting ranks.

“QFES boasts some of the best firefighters in the world, and there are some wonderful success stories in our fire stations reflecting just how hard our men and women work,” he said.

“During the election campaign, the Premier promised to invest $29.5m over the next four years to boost Queensland's fire and emergency services with an additional 100 firefighters and 12 fire communications officers state-wide.

“We want to make sure we continue building on the number of recruits we are attracting from all walks of life, who reflect the growing diversity in our communities.”

More than 1800 firefighters have gone through the doors of QCESA since the first course 30 years’ ago.

QFES Commissioner Katarina Carroll said she was confident in the ability of the newest graduates.

“All recruit firefighters complete a comprehensive training package, with training in a variety of skills ranging from road crash rescue to dealing with gas fires,” Ms Carroll said.

“The training doesn’t stop after graduating and all new firefighters will now be learning on the job as they take up roles throughout stations in Queensland.”

“Every incident is different - from road traffic crashes to house fires - and skills are always developing and growing over time.”

ENDS

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