Tom Gibbs (right) says he “naturally” went into the family profession of firefighting. Photo: H Ireland.
While some boys play with toy firetrucks, Tom Gibbs grew up to be a real-life firefighter.
After all, firefighting was a family affair in the Gibbs household – his parents and grandfather were firies in and around the area that would become Googong township.
“There’s even photos of me playing in the sandpit as a kid out the back of the farmhouse with the fire truck parked next door in for summer,” he said.
“I remember the RFS radio being on and listening in as a kid.
“I remember, vividly, that on bad fire days, Dad or Mum would go out in the fire trucks and help local communities.”
Tom started getting first-hand experience with firefighting as a teenager, following in their footsteps.
“As a teenager – and even as a young child – they would take me to brigade events and take me up to the shed when they were tidying up the trucks and preparing for jobs,” he said.
“I’d be around the fire sheds, helping all the other members.
“The older I got, the more I wanted to learn those skills and get the qualifications myself. I fell into it naturally.”
After doing basic training at 18, he joined the Rural Fire Service (RFS) in 2007 and went on to hold various firefighting positions in NSW and the ACT, including serving as an equipment officer, deputy captain and senior deputy captain.
“I thoroughly enjoy it,” he said.
“You can see a great part of the country and do a lot to help the community.”
The Gibbs’ involvement with firefighting over the generations has given the family a front-row seat to vast changes.
“The technology involved in firefighting today [is different]. We’ve got digital maps and digital radios,” he said.
“There were no helicopters and water bombers when my grandfather and father started their careers, and we’ve been very fortunate to have those tools at our disposal.
“It’s all changed in leaps and bounds, but it has made firefighting safer for everyone that volunteers.”
Tom Gibbs is calling on the public to plan for this year’s bushfire season and give firefighters a helping hand. Photo: L Beaman.
Currently the community education officer for Jerrabomberra Creek RFS, Tom understands the important role communication plays in bushfire safety.
“Engaging with the community and helping them understand ways they can prepare for bushfires or fire season – and what to do if they are impacted by fire – makes our jobs a lot easier,” he said.
“It keeps our firefighters a lot safer. We don’t want to see people get panicked and frantic and [feeling like they] don’t know what to do.”
He said Jerrabomberra Creek RFS would be happy to answer any fire-related questions from residents in the surrounding area.
“Googong township is a very new community, and it’s one with a lot of people that haven’t lived this close to the bush before,” he said.
“We also engage with our rural residents in Royalla, Mount Campbell and the other rural landholders in our area.
“We want to educate our population so that if an incident does occur – fire or something else – our community is resilient and ready to go.”
Tom said now was the time to prepare.
“Fortunately since the 2019/2020 [bushfire] season, we haven’t had that threat of fire on a large scale in our brigade area,” he said.
“We’ve had some wet years, so there’s quite a bit of grass growth.
“This is potentially going to impact our local area during summer if it all starts to dry out.”
The community can speak to members of Jerrabomberra Creek RFS at the Googong RFS Open Day from 10 am to 2 pm on 19 October at Bunyip Park, Wellsvale Drive, Googong.
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