Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We know that this Sunday actually marks International Firefighters' Day,
which is an opportunity to recognize the dedication and service
of firefighters across the Northern Territory and around the world.
Now it's marked every year on the fourth of May
and the day coincides with the feast day of Saint Florraine,
the patron Sate of Firefighters, honoring volunteers, auxiliaries and career
(00:23):
firefighters who've lost their lives in the line of duty,
and to recognize the commitment, the courage and the service
of current members. Now joining us in the studio right
now from ant Emergency Services District Officer Eric Kerman, Good
morning to you. Eric, Good morning, lovely to have you
on the show. Now, what does this day mean to
(00:44):
you and your colleagues?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Really, this is a day for the community and my
colleagues just to reflect on the vice members that have
died in service or have died while working in the
fire services at their dedication and commitment. So it's an
opportunity for ourselves and the community for this single day
just to recognize those people and get together and appreciate
(01:08):
the efforts of our volunteers. Like I said, our auxiliaries
and our career fire potos.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
And it's a dangerous job, you know, there's no other
way to put it. When others are running away from
those situations and from fires, you guys are literally having
to run in the courage.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
And commitment that the members show, and not just in
the non territory of course, Australia wide and worldwide. We're
a large family, bigger than just this area, so we
all do the same job. There are times and occasions
when it is not fun. We're confronted with quite horrific scenes.
But on the flip side, there's a lot of rewards
for our members as well, so there's also time just
(01:47):
to reflect on our current and past members again for
all the work and effort they put into it. So
it's a big day for us and something that we
take the time to recognize.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
A really important day by the sounds of it, and
I know it's been a pretty incredible start to the year. Well,
a really demanding time in fact on emergency services with
those severe weather and also you know the flooding. It
doesn't stop with the fieries. So obviously preparing for bush
fire season, how's everyone holding up?
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Well, you've already said it. We've had quite interesting last
few months with the severe weather and the flooding. The
crews have been continually being required throughout the territory to
assist and we're now swinging into the bush fire season.
So we always have a busy period of time over
the grass fire season, but the wet season has been
something I've been here since I was a kid, and
(02:38):
it's been a big one.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Being crazy hate.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
It's had a lot of impacts on us. So again
it's a great opportunity for us to do it. And
we've got a couple of services organized on Monday the
fourth at the Allie Springs fire station and eight o'clock
in the morning, and also here at the day on
Semotaph just to if anybody wants to turn up the public.
We'll be having services just to again to recognize all
the efforts the guys are putting in.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
So people can come along to those services.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
We encourage people to come along to those services. At
ten o'clock today is a bit late, but Bushfires nt
also having a service on the town End Road facility,
so we're trying to get it out as far as
possible to the community to be able to attend.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
I reckon that's a good idea.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
We've got a couple of other things going on as well.
On Sunday, people might hear at twelve o'clock all the
fire services vehicle sirens going off. So we're going to
have a sound off on Sunday which will run for
about thirty seconds and there'll be a minute silence after that,
just again to reflect and to recognize all the efforts
that everybody's put in. And also Monday night Parliament House,
(03:41):
they're going to light that up in red and blue
again in recognition, so it's not just Monday, it's a
big weekend now.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
I know that you know that obviously I touched on
this a moment ago in terms of the wet season
being so severe. What does that mean for you guys
though as well in preparing now for the fire season,
because I would imagine that you know, the loads and
the grass, you know, some of those grasses have grown
right up higher than what they may have have. We
(04:07):
not had such a huge wet season, it's going to be.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
A big one. We're still getting rain our liver rural
and we've had rain this morning, so we're not out
of the wet seasons such yet, but you can watch
the grass growing literally is just standing there looking at it.
We obviously prepare, we have everything in place for the season.
Permits have just about to stop now, so people should,
if they have a permit, make sure they stop. I
(04:32):
think it's the third as the top meding that they
no more burns. So then is for us now to
ensure everybody gets their breaks in and we're preparing.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
We're getting prepared, and that's a good thing. And making
sure that all those residents as well, all those land
owners obviously get their break, will get themselves organized, get
their blocks of land organized. Right.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
It helps everybody is a little bit of effort, whether
it's just a break or controlling your weeds the gamba
grass and mission brought grass, please get that under control.
It assists us. We don't think about it now with
everything so green and lush and creeks are flowing, but
when the wind's up and it is bone dry, all
those little things that the community does for us, it
helps greatly.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Now I know that our firees as well are really
the first on the scene so often and see things
that people couldn't even imagine. It is a confronting job.
And I sort of touched on this before. You know,
when people are running away from a fire, you guys
are running into help. You're also very often first on
the scene at car crashes and some of those incredibly
(05:30):
dangerous situations. How do you and your colleagues cope with
that kind of thing?
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Well, ultimately, training and the support that is behind that.
So for the career firefighters it's their bread and butter,
but so there's continual training goes with that, and we
have professionals in the background that assist us. We're all humans,
so it does impact us in different ways. Our volunteers
and auxiliaries, not being their permanent jobs, probably will have
(05:55):
more they will be more confronted for them, but ultimately
we still support those But I just wanted to bring
that up because it's a thankless task, and especially when
you're a volunteer auxiliary it's again it's a great opportunity
now to recognize these people. We do everything we can,
it said, in the way of training these people. Ultimately,
you can't avoid what you're seeing.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
No, And you touched on this even a moment ago
as well with bushfires NT and you know there's a
huge contingent of volunteers with bush fires INT and once
we get into that fire season again, you realize just
how much you know our firees. You guys, our career
firefighters have to work with bush fires NT and the
volunteers to manage so many fires across the across the season,
(06:38):
throughout each and every year.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
It's not just for Darwin. We're so darn centric blush
fires NT and our springs, all those areas. It's territory wide,
so there's everybody territory wide should pay attention to their
properties to ensure that they're safe for that fire season.
Our crews are going to be very busy, they always are,
so we also have the issue of maintaining that response
(07:02):
throughout the dry season. So there are challenges ahead, but
we are prepared well.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
It is incredibly hard work that you guys do. And
this Sunday does mark International Firefighters Day. It is an
opportunity to recognize the dedication and the service of firefighters
across the Northern Territory and around the world. And as
you said on Sunday, I reckon people will be going, oh,
what's that sound? To say? Here the sirens set off,
(07:27):
so that sound off. It's happening on.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Sunday twelve o'clock and then Monday morning eight o'clock be
at the Dawn seventaf or at Ol Springs Fire Station
and we'll have a service there as well. And Monday
night go and have look at Parliament House. Beautiful.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Such a good opportunity, I think to recognize the work
of our fires. We know that our frontline networkers do
such an incredible job under what can be really difficult circumstances.
So a really great opportunity to recognize our fieries. Eric Koman,
NT Fire and Emergency Services District Officer, really appreciate your
(08:01):
time this morning. Same you, thank you, thank you, thanks
so much,
We know that this Sunday actually marks International Firefighters' Day,
which is an opportunity to recognize the dedication and service
of firefighters across the Northern Territory and around the world.
Now it's marked every year on the fourth of May
and the day coincides with the feast day of Saint Florraine,
the patron Sate of Firefighters, honoring volunteers, auxiliaries and career
(00:23):
firefighters who've lost their lives in the line of duty,
and to recognize the commitment, the courage and the service
of current members. Now joining us in the studio right
now from ant Emergency Services District Officer Eric Kerman, Good
morning to you. Eric, Good morning, lovely to have you
on the show. Now, what does this day mean to
(00:44):
you and your colleagues?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Really, this is a day for the community and my
colleagues just to reflect on the vice members that have
died in service or have died while working in the
fire services at their dedication and commitment. So it's an
opportunity for ourselves and the community for this single day
just to recognize those people and get together and appreciate
(01:08):
the efforts of our volunteers. Like I said, our auxiliaries
and our career fire potos.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
And it's a dangerous job, you know, there's no other
way to put it. When others are running away from
those situations and from fires, you guys are literally having
to run in the courage.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
And commitment that the members show, and not just in
the non territory of course, Australia wide and worldwide. We're
a large family, bigger than just this area, so we
all do the same job. There are times and occasions
when it is not fun. We're confronted with quite horrific scenes.
But on the flip side, there's a lot of rewards
for our members as well, so there's also time just
(01:47):
to reflect on our current and past members again for
all the work and effort they put into it. So
it's a big day for us and something that we
take the time to recognize.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
A really important day by the sounds of it, and
I know it's been a pretty incredible start to the year. Well,
a really demanding time in fact on emergency services with
those severe weather and also you know the flooding. It
doesn't stop with the fieries. So obviously preparing for bush
fire season, how's everyone holding up?
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Well, you've already said it. We've had quite interesting last
few months with the severe weather and the flooding. The
crews have been continually being required throughout the territory to
assist and we're now swinging into the bush fire season.
So we always have a busy period of time over
the grass fire season, but the wet season has been
something I've been here since I was a kid, and
(02:38):
it's been a big one.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Being crazy hate.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
It's had a lot of impacts on us. So again
it's a great opportunity for us to do it. And
we've got a couple of services organized on Monday the
fourth at the Allie Springs fire station and eight o'clock
in the morning, and also here at the day on
Semotaph just to if anybody wants to turn up the public.
We'll be having services just to again to recognize all
the efforts the guys are putting in.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
So people can come along to those services.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
We encourage people to come along to those services. At
ten o'clock today is a bit late, but Bushfires nt
also having a service on the town End Road facility,
so we're trying to get it out as far as
possible to the community to be able to attend.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
I reckon that's a good idea.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
We've got a couple of other things going on as well.
On Sunday, people might hear at twelve o'clock all the
fire services vehicle sirens going off. So we're going to
have a sound off on Sunday which will run for
about thirty seconds and there'll be a minute silence after that,
just again to reflect and to recognize all the efforts
that everybody's put in. And also Monday night Parliament House,
(03:41):
they're going to light that up in red and blue
again in recognition, so it's not just Monday, it's a
big weekend now.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
I know that you know that obviously I touched on
this a moment ago in terms of the wet season
being so severe. What does that mean for you guys
though as well in preparing now for the fire season,
because I would imagine that you know, the loads and
the grass, you know, some of those grasses have grown
right up higher than what they may have have. We
(04:07):
not had such a huge wet season, it's going to be.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
A big one. We're still getting rain our liver rural
and we've had rain this morning, so we're not out
of the wet seasons such yet, but you can watch
the grass growing literally is just standing there looking at it.
We obviously prepare, we have everything in place for the season.
Permits have just about to stop now, so people should,
if they have a permit, make sure they stop. I
(04:32):
think it's the third as the top meding that they
no more burns. So then is for us now to
ensure everybody gets their breaks in and we're preparing.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
We're getting prepared, and that's a good thing. And making
sure that all those residents as well, all those land
owners obviously get their break, will get themselves organized, get
their blocks of land organized. Right.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
It helps everybody is a little bit of effort, whether
it's just a break or controlling your weeds the gamba
grass and mission brought grass, please get that under control.
It assists us. We don't think about it now with
everything so green and lush and creeks are flowing, but
when the wind's up and it is bone dry, all
those little things that the community does for us, it
helps greatly.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Now I know that our firees as well are really
the first on the scene so often and see things
that people couldn't even imagine. It is a confronting job.
And I sort of touched on this before. You know,
when people are running away from a fire, you guys
are running into help. You're also very often first on
the scene at car crashes and some of those incredibly
(05:30):
dangerous situations. How do you and your colleagues cope with
that kind of thing?
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Well, ultimately, training and the support that is behind that.
So for the career firefighters it's their bread and butter,
but so there's continual training goes with that, and we
have professionals in the background that assist us. We're all humans,
so it does impact us in different ways. Our volunteers
and auxiliaries, not being their permanent jobs, probably will have
(05:55):
more they will be more confronted for them, but ultimately
we still support those But I just wanted to bring
that up because it's a thankless task, and especially when
you're a volunteer auxiliary it's again it's a great opportunity
now to recognize these people. We do everything we can,
it said, in the way of training these people. Ultimately,
you can't avoid what you're seeing.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
No, And you touched on this even a moment ago
as well with bushfires NT and you know there's a
huge contingent of volunteers with bush fires INT and once
we get into that fire season again, you realize just
how much you know our firees. You guys, our career
firefighters have to work with bush fires NT and the
volunteers to manage so many fires across the across the season,
(06:38):
throughout each and every year.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
It's not just for Darwin. We're so darn centric blush
fires NT and our springs, all those areas. It's territory wide,
so there's everybody territory wide should pay attention to their
properties to ensure that they're safe for that fire season.
Our crews are going to be very busy, they always are,
so we also have the issue of maintaining that response
(07:02):
throughout the dry season. So there are challenges ahead, but
we are prepared well.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
It is incredibly hard work that you guys do. And
this Sunday does mark International Firefighters Day. It is an
opportunity to recognize the dedication and the service of firefighters
across the Northern Territory and around the world. And as
you said on Sunday, I reckon people will be going, oh,
what's that sound? To say? Here the sirens set off,
(07:27):
so that sound off. It's happening on.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Sunday twelve o'clock and then Monday morning eight o'clock be
at the Dawn seventaf or at Ol Springs Fire Station
and we'll have a service there as well. And Monday
night go and have look at Parliament House. Beautiful.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Such a good opportunity, I think to recognize the work
of our fires. We know that our frontline networkers do
such an incredible job under what can be really difficult circumstances.
So a really great opportunity to recognize our fieries. Eric Koman,
NT Fire and Emergency Services District Officer, really appreciate your
(08:01):
time this morning. Same you, thank you, thank you, thanks
so much,
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