Community & Business
9 August, 2024
Crystal ready for fire season
AT the scene of a fire, Tablelands first officer and fire warden Crystal Stone is cool, calm and collected.
For the past seven years she has been a pillar of strength and resilience in her community and has helped many people during their most vulnerable and traumatic times.
Crystal’s journey as a volunteer firefighter began upon her return to her hometown, where she noticed a pressing need for more hands on deck in the local brigade.
This inspired her to step up and join the Rural Fire Service (RFS), a decision that has shaped her life and those around her.
One of Crystal’s most unforgettable experiences came in October 2023, her first year as first officer.
The fire season hit hard, with fires breaking out in October and spreading rapidly throughout the Tablelands despite the combined efforts of multiple brigades.
“The fires started the night before Halloween, about five to ten kilometres away from my area. Over the course of about three days the fire swept through with all our efforts to stop it failing, even with the help of the entire region’s brigades,” she said.
“In the end, all we could do was evacuate people and protect properties. It was an important learning experience for me - there are times you cannot stop the fire; you look back and feel you could have done things better or changed the outcome somehow, but sometimes these things are out of your control.
“I have a lot of respect for my superiors who have the experience and knowledge to remain calm in those circumstances and are able to maintain order and keep everyone on track.
“That particular fire affected an extremely large area of the Tablelands and continued for over nine days, with many people being evacuated and some losing their houses and property.”
Crystal’s training with the RFS has been instrumental in equipping her for real-life emergencies.
She has completed the Fire Minimum Skills (FMS), Firefighter Advanced Skills (FAS), a Pumping Course, and a Fire Warden workshop, however, she said the real experiences were what helped her become the warden she is today.
“The real training is on the fire ground, however, and in my opinion, new volunteers need to be very mindful of learning as much as they can from experienced personnel whenever they get the chance and taking opportunities at participating in any burns that their brigade is doing,” she said.
“Reading about it in a book or during a course is little comparison to being in dangerous circumstances on the fire ground. Knowing what to do in those circumstances is life-saving.”
When it comes to fire safety, Crystal is a proud advocate of ensuring everyone in the community does their part to avoid accidents.
She hopes property owners would be more prepared this fire season, particularly if it is as intense as the last one.
“I would like to encourage bush fire awareness to everyone, particularly in rural settings where it is high risk. Watch out for your neighbours, especially those at risk, and offer to help if they need it,” she said.
“Our local brigade is offering to help property owners, by clearing around their houses and properties in preparation for the fire season.
“It’s essential fire personnel and trucks can access places that need it when a fire is coming, maintaining your property is one of the most important things you can do.”
Crystal encourages anyone interested in firefighting or support roles to give it a try.
“During the last seven years or so, I have been a volunteer firefighter, and I have had lots of different experiences and opportunities to learn new things,” she said.
“There are also career opportunities for those who are interested and best of all, it’s a great group of people you get to work with, so there’s no harm in having a go.
“Some people might think volunteer fire fighting is intensive and highly stressful. This can be the case sometimes, but overall, it’s highly rewarding and an essential service for the community.”
